The Mortal Guardian
by Mysterie1985
Summary: It's just an ordinary day for Jack, it's been three years since Pitch's defeat but when a new person steps into Burgess, things change like no one could have predicted... [abridged version, for original version visit Archive of Our ]
1. Chance

Dark chestnut hair, eyes so dark in their green shade that they sometimes looked brown if the lighting was just right; they could also look blue as well, if she wore the right colors. Today she was dressed in a black hoodie, seemingly mindless of the cold as she wandered through the forest that she had heard rumors of from a certain young boy was the home of one Jack Frost. She believed in the Guardians, a fact that had amazed the young believer, one Jamie Bennett. The boy was now in class though, for this time of day. It was a little before noon and it was the rumors of the Guardians that had drawn her to Burgess. She was here on an extended vacation, one she believed she deserved because she could not - for the life of her - remember when it was the last time that she had ever been on one or even taken time for one for that matter. So here she was, on a wild rumor ... at least that's what most people would call it... looking for one of the Guardians. Jamie had told her that she might find the elusive young Guardian at the frozen pond. A pond that was always frozen because it was Jack's home. Well, she'd been there actually and hadn't seen any sign of the frost spirit so she'd ventured a little deeper into the forest itself, not aware of where she was really heading and unknowingly skirting the same clearing that was where Pitch's lair's entrance was. She was just wandering about really when she came upon the strange ice-like cave... although it wasn't so much a cave really as just a block of ice with a cave-like entrance. Rounded near the front and yet its walls expanded through and around trees. What the heck? This had to be the strangest thing she'd ever come upon yet... and seeing it... It made her think that maybe she'd found the winter spirit at last.

Ignoring the cold that was practically radiating off the structure, she ventured within. She wasn't too surprised when she saw said winter spirit lounging on what looked to be a bed of ice. The staff was propped nearby. As she quietly took in the dozing spirit she had to admit that he didn't seem much like himself... at least not like what Jamie had said of him. He seemed... paler than normal. Was that even possible? Not wanting to startle him too badly, she coughed a little. Blue eyes latched onto her immediately and he just stared for the longest moment but his usually brilliant blue eyes seemed to lack a bit of color.

"I'm not disturbing you, am I?" She nearly smirked as the eyes watching her began to widen with the realization that she, an adult, was speaking to him.

"I-" He was cut off by a hacking cough and her amusement was wiped away with a look of concern.

"What's wrong?" He winced a little when he finally stopped.

"Just a bug. I always seem to get sick around Easter." She wondered at that, Easter wasn't until next month. It was still plenty cool here, how was it he got sick... wait **how** could he even get sick?! He was the personification of winter for crying out loud! Far be it for me to know how spirits work... I always thought they were immune to stuff like this though... Guess not. Jack certainly didn't look well and another coughing fit proved that. She wasn't going to just stand by idly.

"I already know who you are, I guess I should introduce myself before I run off and get you something for that cough. My name is Kari, but most of my friends call me Mysterie." Jack raised an eyebrow at that, clearly curious but another coughing fit kept him from asking the obvious question as to why they called her that; not that it was a long story, he also apparently wondered what it was she thought she could do to make a winter spirit - who had embarrassingly enough managed to catch a cold of all things... - feel better. He didn't get the chance to ask as she disappeared out the cave's entrance. Jack could only be glad really that Jamie wasn't here to see him like this. Man oh man, he would NEVER live it down if his first believer or Bunny caught him like this. One reason why he'd been avoiding the other Guardians really. It wasn't that he didn't trust them to help him if he needed it, but it was more like he wasn't used to trusting anyone to help him with things like this. Things that were... more personal really. That's what families did and he could barely remember the faces of his own family, let alone what it meant to have one; he was more used to being on his own and since the Guardians had fallen back mostly to the routines of their normal jobs, though they did help one another out with their holidays or to help collect teeth, the others really didn't have much contact with one another or Jack.

So then, when this woman, Mysterie reappeared with what looked like a bowl in her gloved hands, Jack was more than a little surprised.

"Maybe this will help you." Jack blinked when she handed him the bowl and a metal spoon. In the bowl was chicken noodle soup; he'd know it anywhere, he'd seen countless kids eat it but unlike what he'd seen before this soup was cold. It wasn't hot. He couldn't help but feel a bit of warmth in his chest that she would go out of her way to bring him something, much less something that wasn't hot even though it was supposedly best served hot.

"Thanks." It was all he could think to say before he dug into the soup. He'd thought it might taste better warm, but since the soup wasn't going to freeze unless he made it and he really didn't do much on warmth... he was just really grateful to have something to combat what he was feeling. She smiled a little and he wondered for a moment if she might have any kids with the way she was sitting on the edge, looking at him with something he'd seen written on the faces of countless mothers who'd had to tend to their children. Yeah, he was sure she had to have kids; there was no way she had that compassionate of a heart... was there? He'd seen a lot of things, both good and bad, in the modern world and while he couldn't deny that there were people with good hearts they were truly far and few between. He was still trying to puzzle out, as he ate the soup, just how it was that she could see him. Was she really a believer?! At her age? Not that there was anything wrong with her being an adult it was just... he couldn't really recall ever having an adult see him before and the fact that she was dressed warmly told him right off that she wasn't a spirit. For all that Bunnymund complained, he wasn't really THAT affected by the cold, but he felt it safe to assume the woman before him was human. She seemed thoughtful for a moment before she spoke again.

"You know, I have allergies that tend to flare up when the weather is about to change. I wonder if that's why you're sick now."

"Could be." He replied around a cough and another sip of his soup. He sighed a little, settling the bowl on an end table on one side of the bed.

"I swear like I'm going to melt in this heat." She didn't chuckle, if only because she didn't think he found it funny right now; maybe later he'd laugh at it, but he looked too ill to really look up to it. She opted to keep silent instead.

"Maybe it has something to do with Bunny, I know he still holds a grudge against you for that Easter. Would you like me to get you some ice cream?"

"Maybe, but I doubt he's still mad at me for that. I mean it's been... I don't know.. a while. Also it's just the heat, I'm always sick around heat but I can't do anything about it. It's supposed to be spring and I guess I could get some ice cream. Thanks Myst." He says as he snuggles into the cool bed. She left again and when she came back she had a bag full of small tubs of various flavors of ice cream.

"These are the only flavors they had..." She trailed off, setting the various tubs before him on the bed so he could see his choices: vanilla, chocolate, rocky road, strawberry, chocolate chip, cookie dough and mint chocolate.

"Thanks!" He smiled and took the spoon from the bowl she'd brought the soup in, creating a bowl out of ice to scoop out some vanilla and mint before digging in.

"That's good." His normal color began to seep back into his cheeks and she watched in fascination as he smirked at her slightly.

"Now I feel much better." He could feel his power slowly returning back to normal levels, but he knew it would be a while before he was fully back to normal. She smiled.

"Good, I'm glad I could help. Especially since Jamie isn't around to help. He's probably stuck inside doing homework about now I'd imagine." She chuckled a little and only when she realized how late it was did she bid him farewell with a promise to return the next day before slipping out of the ice cavern.


	2. New Friend

Feeling like his old self again the next day, he spent the day in Manhattan to make a snow day. He then moved on to other places where he was needed, when he returned to the ice cavern that night though he was pretty sure he'd over done it. He coughed, stupid cold! Apparently a day of rest and ice cream wasn't enough to make it go away as he'd hoped; Jack was anything **but** a good patient. He hated staying in one place for too long let alone a bed. It never occurred to him that Mysterie would return to the cavern, as it was, she was actually outside when he landed on the snow drift that was near the entrance. Jack felt weaker than before and decided not to mention it to his new friend as he went inside, coughing again. Damn it!

"Jack? That you?" She walked around the side of the "cavern" to the entrance.

"Uh..." Crap! He thought about hiding, but there was really no place for him to hide and if she'd seen him already... He tries to blend in with the ice as she steps inside only to be given away by a cough. Damn. He thinks a second time. She stuck her head into the cave and smiled when her eyes found him against one wall, a soft smile on her lips.

"Good to see you're back. Brought you something... wasn't sure if you'd like the flavor... but at least it's a good color." She said as she walked towards him, holding out a styrofoam cup that held a blue icee.

"Oh, thanks." He sighs in relief just a little too lousy only to feel another coughing attack starting to come on. He ate the snow-cone like drink, instead of making him feel better though it actually made him feel sicker for a moment.

"Um, will you excuse me Mysterie." Before she can respond he was out of the cave and had spun around one side to hurl the contents of his stomach into the snow. He tried covering it up but the snow only seeped into it.

"Fuck." He grumbled to himself and turned to go back to the bed inside.

"Thanks for the icee." He said with a smile, trying to act normal but he felt guilty.

"Come on now." She said, gently tugging one of his hands and led him over to the bed of ice and motions to it.

"I"m too used to talking care of the sick to not notice Jack. Rest will do you good. I know you still have your duties, but rest while you can." Jack yawned as he was tugged into the bed by sleep.

"I can't sleep I -yawn- have stuff to do I can't." He yawns again before a trickle of Sandy's golden stream hits him and his eyes droop closed. She chuckles softly as she tucks him in.

"Guess I should have said I put in a call to Sandy... little bugger does owe me for what I do..." She murmured, though pretty sure Jack is too far gone to have heard. She shook her head a little, murmuring softly.

"Sweet dreams Jack." She's still there with him when he awakens; yawing and stretching before looking around and realizing he's in a bed.

"Oh no, did I..." He looks about a little frantically before sneezing suddenly and she hands him a box of tissues.

"Bless you." She raises an eyebrow at his expression.

"I'm starting to wonder exactly what you expect me to do. I'm not chaining you to that bed if that's what you're thinking."

"Oh... hehe..." He scratched his head a little sheepishly.

"It's been a while since I had someone actually, you know... take care of me and usually -gulps a little- my mom closed my door so I don't leave the house. I kind of hated staying inside and I guess it's kind of an old fear I have." He shivered a bit, taking a tissue only to sneeze icicles with the next sneeze.

"Um, yeah... I should probably go..." He left in such a hurry that he failed to notice that a raggedy brown cowl had fallen from his hoodie onto the floor. Curious, Mysterie picked it up after noticing it when he'd left.

"Well, you were human then... keeping a winter spirit in one place would be something I would have loved to see her manage." She chuckles to herself as she stows the cowl in a drawer in the end table. Leaving the cave only momentarily to fix some more cold soup. Ever amused that a winter spirit would be capable of catching a cold. Jack stuck his hands in his pocket as he flew, suddenly realizing something vital was missing.

"No... NO!" Feeling pain from having misplaced the precious item, one of only two things from his old life, he returns to the cave. When he sees the soup he can't help but smile though.

"Thank you Mysterie." Still surprised himself that he can get sick, he sighs a little as he settles to eat the soup; feeling a part of his self is missing with the cowl gone. She returned his smile at first.

"Think nothing of it, after all what are friends for?" She frowned slightly though when he sighed.

"What's that about? Something wrong?"

"Um, no. It's nothing. I'm just missing something very important. I know this is embarrassing, but I have a cowl, the same clothes I died in and it's a keepsake more so to me since I can never be back there again... it makes me feel like I am still with my family when I have it, besides my staff... just that it's more of a personal object to me and I dropped it." He feels tears freeze as they begin to roll down one cheek.

"Ah." She moved over to him to give him a reassuring hug.

"Well fortunately it's not far. Never knew you were so sentimental, but I thought perhaps it might be important." She said as she released him and walked back over to the bed, pulling open the drawer and retrieving the cowl. She walked back to him with the cowl in hand and handed it over. He smiled brightly instantly when he saw it and hugged her tight.

"Oh gods, thanks so much!" He made it snow in the room and even small snow fairies appeared to fly about and playfully tug at her hair to show just how happy he is as he sticks the cowl back into his pocket.

"You're welcome."

"I think I would be sad for a bit If I lost this. Anyway, gotta fly. Snow days to make somewhere near Singapore." He left quickly, the wind blowing snow around the room, leaving a scent of mint and snow as another note of saying thanks for the help. She smiles, feeling a little sad when he leaves, but at the same time looking forward to his return. She chuckled a little to herself as she realized she'd quickly come to love the winter spirit like a little brother. How easy it was to get attached to someone she knew wasn't that much different than her in some ways. He didn't know it yet, but she knew what it was like to be lonely; unwanted and - in a way - unseen by others.


	3. Snow Fun

Jack returned in a massive flurry and as soon as he saw her he made one of his magic snowballs.

"Hey I'm back! And guess what I brought!" The snowball flew, smacking her in the face before she could react.

"Ha! You totally fell for it! Ha ha gosh Mysterie you're too easy! Sorry! I'm just full of mischief this week!" He laughed, throughly seeming to enjoy the surprise on her face. She recovers quickly enough.

"Oh, you're not as sorry as you will be Frost." She says in a mock growl as she scoops up snow for a snowball to throw it with good accuracy, fully intending to get her revenge. He flies off to dodge the snowball.

"Ah! Sorry! Didn't mean to hit you, I thought you were used to it!" She grinned when the snowball actually hit her target dead on.

"Ow! That's my leg! Let's go!" She laughed.

"Oh come on now. Here I thought you were the champ at snowball fights." She smirked to hide her surprise at actually scoring a hit on him. He dusted off non-existent dirt from his hoodie.

"Yeah, well, you got lucky and well... I wish you good night - er good day. Also, Happy St Patty's Day! Me and the Guardians gonna hang out with Shamus the Leprechaun for celebration. See ya!" He tosses one more snowball at her before he flies off, laughing as she ducks the snowball.

"See you later Snowflake!" She waved good-bye to her friend. There wasn't really supposed to be snow on the ground this close to Easter, but she shrugged it off and decided to see if she could find Jamie and engage him and his friends in a friendly snowball fight while Jack was gone. Why she felt she needed to, she wasn't sure; almost like she was going to make up for the winter spirit's absence this day but she shrugged the idea off before it fully took hold in her. It was time to have some fun! Exhausted by the fun hours later, she returns to the ice cavern in time to see Jack return himself.

"Hey! I brought you a little something from Shamus." He tosses a beautiful, rainbow colored rock at her; she catches it instantly and inspects it.

"Be careful with it, it's actually a wishing rock. Also it's a three wish only deal so use them when you really need them." Jack moves to leave again, but Mysterie notices that he looks a little off.

"Thanks. Wait, hold up. What's going on? You look a little beat..." He turned slowly, feeling a bit uneasy.

"Um, nothing's up. Um bye." He flew off quickly before she could say anything more. She sighed as he leaves again, wishing that he would trust her but knowing too well that such will be hard won thanks to the Guardians' unintentional ignoring of him for the past 300 years. Jack didn't actually go too far. Stopping to rest in a tree above his pond, as soon as the exhaustion over took him, though, so did the nightmares. He begins to whimper in his sleep, the sound carrying through the forest and causes Mysterie to poke her head from the cave thinking that she'd heard something. Suspicious, she stands in front of the cave to listen when a scream pierces the night air.

"Shit, not another one!" A hand flies to Jack's mouth as he starts awake, even if he was a dead teenager he knew he really shouldn't swear as a Guardian, let alone at all since he protected children and fun. He rubbed the sweat from his face as he glances around at the shadows of the night; his heart beating a mile a minute as she manages to, somehow - if by chance or just plain luck - actually find Jack in the darkness in time to hear him mutter a berating to himself for his language.

"Probably not, but I won't tell anyone." Still suspicious, she bends down to trail a hand along the ground beneath the tree he's in. A few traces of black sand seem to swirl up and she frowns at them. The sands instantly become gold when she does. There's only one likely responsible. Pitch. Jack, feeling drowsy from the lack of sleep, falls out of the tree and onto her; falling instantly asleep and the dream sand beneath them begins to turn back to black again. She growls when she sees this.

"Pitch... I am gonna beat the crap outta you..." She touched the sand again, turning it gold once more before she manages to squirm her way from beneath the frost spirit without waking him. Picking him up, she carries him back to the ice cavern. He sighs in contentment and snuggles closer to her like a child would their mother. The motion makes her smile a little and she murmurs to the night air.

"You're still such a child sometimes..." She tucked him into the bed after carefully disentangling him from her and sat on the edge of the bed to wait for more black sand, knowing it will come if only to investigate. When it does, she quietly grabs the strand before it makes it to Jack and corrals it between her palms as it becomes a small Nightmare. She keeps it trapped and any other black sand that dares to come within five feet of the entrance is instantly turned into golden sand. She stares at the Nightmare she has trapped, the thing rearing and clambering to get away but unable and soon it cowers between her hands. She whispers softly to it, so not to wake Jack.

"Go back to your master with my message. Next time he touches Frost he will deal with ME personally... and I won't be as nice as I was to you." The Nightmare dashes off hastily once free, the thing more than happy to be free of her and fleeing as fast as it can. Jack wakes up and looks around, deciding to leave as quietly as possible, but she turns at the sound. She smiles a little at him, though the glint in her eyes still suggests something dangerous.

"Ah, I was wondering when you'd wake up again." Jack gasps quietly before starting to whistle innocently as if he hadn't just been trying to escape. Mysterie blinked, confusion flitting across her features for a moment.

"Okay... fess up mister, just what was that about and how long have you been having nightmares?"

"Uh, nightmares? What nightmares? No one's having nightmares." He begins to sweat a little only to have it freeze against his skin. She shakes her head in response, a small smile on her face; genuine concern flickering into her eyes.

"You aren't fooling anyone Jack."

"Uh..." Felling trapped, Jack edges towards the entrance.

"I"m not having nightmares I"m just having a hard time getting to bed, okay? I got stuff to do!" The last words were said in an angry huff, hoping to have fooled her; but in truth she knew too much about him from Jamie and from tales to be fooled. Instead, she sighs.

"Look Jack... maybe you will believe me when I say I can help... maybe not. I just wish..." She trails off and shakes her head. No... I can't expect him to trust me so soon... especially not considering all that's happened to him.

"Never mind." Jack feels guilty about outright lying. It wasn't right and he hadn't really lied to her before... with a sigh he finally answers.

"A week." He turned his attention to the dark corners of the cavern, feeling the nightmares flash before his eyes and he hugged himself close. He can't hurt me now I am awake; he can't get me when I'm awake. Mysterie is silent for a long while before she gets up off the bed, speaking without too much thought.

"Well at least it's not like-" She cuts off immediately when she realizes what she's saying and shakes off the dark mood that had briefly fallen over her. She doesn't look at Jack, too afraid he'll see the fear in her eyes if she turns to meet his gaze.

"I'll make sure it stops. Maybe you and the Guardians haven't heard of what I can do... but Pitch knows... I've... tangled with him before... Before he tried to make the world stop believing. I guess since I'm older my belief in the Guardians doesn't amount to much... maybe doesn't even register on the globe he has." She shakes her head a little, thinking of North's globe of belief. She heads towards the entrance, stopping only long enough to glance over her shoulder to give him something of a reassuring smile.

"Anyway, I have a job to get to as I'm sure you do. I'll catch you later." She ducks out of the cavern quickly, hiding the dark determination that comes across her face. She didn't want to taint Jack with her past, knowing that it was darker than what Pitch's Nightmares could ever hope to conjure against any of the Guardians.


	4. Nightmares and Unknown Sand

Feeling guilty, Jack decides to make a surprise for her for when she returns as a way of making things up to her. Mysterie goes for a walk in Burgess once her "job" is done, walking the streets of the city and humming to herself as if she doesn't have a care in the world. A hint of a smile on her lips as she enjoys the cool air and the sights before heading back to the forest. When she arrives she sees sculptures from ice that were made to depict various stories she'd created online. She freezes in her tracks when she sees the sculptures, not having been aware that Jack even knew about the stories that she'd made up about him and the other Guardians. She can only stare, wide eyed at them before she sees a message written in frost: I'm sorry. Please, I need help. Also I hope you like it! ~ Frost

She smiles ruefully as she reads the message, murmuring aloud; unsure if he's there to hear but saying it nonetheless.

"So beautiful... heh... I think though it'd be obvious that I always help my friends." She chuckled softly as she admired the sculptures before deciding it was late and that she needed some rest in the cabin she'd rented. It wasn't far from the woods really, just a few feet off to the right of the ice cavern. She retreated there for the night, content. She goes to the ice cavern the next day after her "work" feeling stiff and decides to rest on the ice bed to soothe way her aches and pains. Lying there, waiting for Jack, however, she falls asleep. Jack arrives near dark and smiles when he sees her asleep in the bed. He tucks her in quietly before taking some dream sand that Sandy had once given him and sprinkled a little on her to ensure good dreams. He sighs quietly. If only she knew how I really feel. She's like a big sister to me. After a moment of standing there and making sure the dream sand did its job, he flew out of the cavern. Not long after she wakes up slowly with a yawn, having dreamed of friends and what happy times she'd had in life. She strangely feels not only rested, but doesn't feel any disappointment to see that Jack isn't around. She decides to head out to see what else she can find of the night life of Burgess.

Jack wakes up the next morning, shivering from remembered nightmares which have just gotten worse instead of better. He visits the ice cavern to find his friend is still asleep there.

"I'm sorry Mysterie, I can't tell you it's just getting worse and worse and this seems to be a problem I need to fight on my own." He whispers quietly so not to wake her. He moves from the cavern, unaware of the shiver that goes through her as she awakens from the night's dream. Her fear quickly turns to anger and she lets out a soft snort before she gets up and stalks out of the ice cavern, knowing too well who is responsible for her less than restful night's sleep. Jack finds himself surrounded by Nightmares of all types and regretting his decision to face Pitch alone. He covered his ears as Pitch fills him with doubt despite the ice daggers that he shoots at the Nightmares around him. Wolves snap at him and he cries out in pain as something kicks him in the stomach, breaking a couple of ribs; Jack curls up to protect himself, a dome of ice frosting over to protect him from further blows.

"What's the matter Frost? Can't take a hit or are you too weak to fight back? You know, it's your fault." Jack screams in fear, wishing that the torture would just end. Pitch smiles cruelly and opens his mouth to say more except a silver whip shoots out from the darkness and wraps itself around Pitch, yanking the Boogeyman back from the dome and slamming him into the ground before he has time to figure out what is going on. Mysterie snarled as she come out of the darkness of the woods around the clearing.

"I warned you..." She was clearly ticked. A second whip snaps through the air, driving the Nightmares back from the icy dome that is protecting Jack even as he shivers from the dark memories in his mind that flicker before him like a picture show. He screams in pure agony, feeling the actual pain slice through him like a knife, the dome shatters and he's left shivering; his eyes glazed over as his scream pierces the air. Nightmares step back when the dome shatters only to jump to attention when Mysterie jerks her head, the Nightmares rush at Pitch and surround him; ensuring he cannot get away as the silver sand disappears a moment. She walks between the various Nightmares and kneels next to Jack. Lightly placing her hands on his head, she murmurs softly.

"Shhh. It's okay. I won't let them hurt you. I promise." The black sand that is stuck in Jack is drawn out along with a Fearling that skitters away towards the Nightmares that guard Pitch; any attempt he makes to escape, even through the shadows, is blocked by them. The little scorpion Fearling clicks its claws as it stands at the feet of its "master" and helps ensure that the other doesn't escape or try anything. Mysterie presses a gentle kiss to Jack's forehead, hoping to help soothe him from the effects of the Nightmares. Jack relaxes and opens tear filled eyes.

"M-mysterie." He breaths, the words a little heavy even as the words of doubt in his mind fade back to where he pushes them, where he locks away all of his most hated memories. He hugs her, crying openly only able to think that she is his life line; he sobs harshly, trying to make the words come out about how sorry he is and that he should have listened to her.

"I-I s-should have -hiccups- listened to you!" Ice swirls around the area in a swaying motion as the wind tries to cheer up the winter spirit. She gently wipes away the tears as she speaks quietly.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Jack. I should have known you'd try and do things on your own. I should have kept a better eye on you." She hugged him close, stroking his back in a soothing motion; having forgotten Pitch and the Nightmares for a moment until Pitch made something of a gagging sound. Sighing, she glanced back over to the Nightmare King.

"You know, it would have been better if you'd stayed quiet. I'd almost forgotten you were still here. Now that you've so kindly reminded me, however, I think I shall put you on hold for a moment... but don't worry, I won't forget a second time." The Nightmares swirl around him and form a cage, dragging him away. Mysterie turns back to Jack, not having relinquished her hold; offering what silent comfort that she could. Wishing that she could have done more, would have known that this would happen and could have prevented it. Jack suddenly sinks into unconsciousness and it isn't until she spots a second Nightmare scorpion that she understands why. She snarls at it, sending it running off before she touches her forehead to Jack's. Closing her eyes to pool her power to counteract the nightmares to come; she trembles a little, not used to drawing this much power, as what is needed to slip into the nightmares and deal with them on the plane of dreams which as is needed to drive them off. Trapped in a Nightmare's hold, Jack struggles to surface in dark waters as a figure standing ashore but worse calls out to him.

"It's your fault Jack, you should rot in hell for all I care." Jack screams, the black water going into his mouth as he struggles to see; being dragged down towards the Fearlings that await at the bottom.

"No! Nooooooooo!" He screams loud enough to shatter glass. Doubts seem to swarm over him as he stares at a dark shadow version of his young sister.

"You're right... I deserve to rot in hell." He starts to close his eyes and cease struggling, letting himself be dragged towards the Fearlings and slowly be turned into one of them. Mysterie quickly appears, calling to him even as she faces the evil little girl with a glare.

"No. Jack... please listen. This isn't you, we all make mistakes and you don't deserve this. You never have. Don't let him win... Don't give him the satisfaction because if you do..." Her voice cracked even as she went on.

"If you become like him... I'll have to destroy you... and I don't want to do that... Please, little brother... don't give in to the darkness." Turning her attention solely on the girl before her then, she produces a blade and the other does likewise, but Mysterie is quicker and has experience in the use of her blade and slashes the thing in two, causing it to burst into nightmare sand. Tossing the blade aside, Mysterie dove into the black water without hesitation and struggled to reach Jack. After hearing the words, Jack's eyes open to a most brilliant blue and bright light explodes from the lake, knocking the nightmare away from him. He floats within a fury of ice and snow, the snow harshly pelting anything and everything evil.

"I WILL NEVER GIVE IN! NEVER! YOU HEAR ME PITCH!" He screams in a tone that makes Mysterie shudder a little as much as the display of sudden power. The darkness recedes, but Jack is too furious to calm down.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD YOU GOD DAMN NIGHTMARES!" Jack doesn't even take note that he's swearing, everything turns white all of the sudden; causing Mysterie to have to shield her eyes and the two suddenly snap awake. Jack gasping for air as he looks at Mysterie who is still holding him close. Jack hugs her close to him.

"Thank you big sister." He manages as wind swirls happily around the two of them.


	5. Darkness Within

Mysterie just held Jack close, tightly; simply relieved that he was okay even though she doesn't say so. After a moment her grip goes slack on the winter spirit as exhaustion begins to seep into her. Suddenly Jack wakes up, snuggled against her, he smiles happily that all of it is finally over but something still doesn't feel right. He disentangles himself from her and headed to the bathroom he'd created on a whim. He wasn't sure why he had, it wasn't like he needed it.

"Dang, I must have never been sleeping." He mutters as he looks in the mirror to see the dark circles and bags under his eyes. He splashes his face with some water and it freezes. He grabs a towel to wipe off the water that is now frozen to his skin when he looks up at the mirror and slams back into the icy wall as he sees his reflection smirking at him with fangs and black-blue eyes. He felt his heart begin to pound painfully.

"Hello Jack, have fun trying to get rid of your temptation? Well I'm here to tell you I am waiting for you to let me take over." NO! Why me? Why him? Why is my life like this?! Jack screams mentally.

"GO AWAY! I MEANT FOR ALL OF YOU TO GO AWAY!" He thought he was mentally screaming that, but in reality he'd just yelled it aloud. The image disappears and Jack hears Mysterie stirring in the other room. He gasps and splashes himself with hot water to pretend he'd accidentally hurt himself.

"Ouch." At least maybe she'll think it's something else... He thought nervously, the last thing he wanted was his new friend to think that he was insane. Mysterie mutters something under her breath that sounds like a curse as she gets up; her sleep disturbed, and her nerves, by the yelling and she goes in search of the intruder. She doesn't waste time paying a little visit to Pitch... remembering that she had promised to do so and that the Nightmare King had yet to rue the day he'd set eyes on Jack. Unaware that it wasn't Pitch who had disturbed the peace. Not knowing that it was a temptation... a darker thing that lurked within Jack's own mind that had shattered what peace we had shared. When she returns she seems a little exhausted and unnerved, mostly because Jack seems to be still in the bathroom and having gotten from Pitch that he hadn't had a hand in the latest episode. The only other option that came to her mind was one she didn't want to face, but one she knew all too well... and she knew that she wasn't able to face this kind of enemy because she had a secret of her own...

Jack shuddered as his temptation taunted him, he tried to block him out by covering his ears but that did little and Jack gasped in pain as his other half used one hand to grab his throat.

"Oh, don't try and shut it out Jack; you know you want this." Jack struggled, pounding at the icy grip and the surprisingly cold feeling that seeps into him from the other's grip; Jack gags and the other loosens his hold as Jack silently coughs, trying not to alert his friend whom he is sure is still on the other side of the door. Mentally snarling at the other, Jakul, to fuck off. Jakul didn't take to that and kicked Jack, sending a woosh of air to come out and an involuntary grunt of pain.

"You're nothing. I am not ever going to hurt Mysterie so keep your fucking hands away from her!" Jack screeches, not realizing he was speaking aloud again as the image seeped back into the mirror once more but disappeared as soon as Jack stood up. Staring at his normal reflection he gulps, knowing there is no way he can hide this forever. Concerned at the shouting, Mysterie walks over to the bathroom and quietly raps on the door. Knowing that it's time she show trust in Jack, but not really knowing if what she has to tell him will be of any help. Jack coughs.

"J-just a minute Mysterie." He calls, trying to appear normal as he opens the door, but not letting the door open enough for her to get a glimpse of the coughed up blood on the bathroom floor. He looks at her with a nervous smile.

"Can I help you?" She shifts nervously, not noticing that he is nervous as she is too preoccupied with her own nervousness.

"I... think we need to talk... um... maybe after you've gotten a bit more handle on 'him.'"

"Huh?" Jack looks around, thinking about who she's talking about before starting to sweat as he realizes she might know everything. He moves to sit on the bed.

"So... uh... what is it you wanna talk to me about?" Besides thinking I am a lunatic... He sighs, feeling Jakul returning and this time he works on mentally breaking Jack down as Jack winces at the headaches and feels like he's about to throw up whatever is in his stomach.

"I... have a theory about all this... but before I get to that I have to confess something. I... I'm not likely the best person to help you... I'm not-" She pauses to take a shaky breath before she manages to go on.

"I'm not pure hearted like you... or Jamie... or any of the Guardians... I have a darker side... it's... it's what keeps Nightmares from affecting me, but... I know it also means that if Pitch ever found out about it... Well... it wouldn't be pretty because if that side ever took over me... I'd be..." She struggled with the words, knowing they had to be said didn't make them any easier to say.

"... worse than Pitch..." Jack's eyes grew wide and he shook his head.

"What do you mean?" Tears started to grow in his eyes as Jakul taunted him, telling him that he was worthless and that he should give in; that he deserved it. Mysterie... what does she mean dark side? Does she... have a side of her like me? Jack took a shakier breath than before, feeling Jakul drag long, sharp clawed nails down his back and blood began to surface as the hoodie was shredded, but it's obvious that Jack is ignoring him. Thinking more on what he should do without her help... on what he could do... She sighed.

"I... I might mean well, but... there's a darkness in me. In my heart that comes from my experiences. There are... things in the night that are worse than Pitch. When I was 14... still just a kid... I was... captured during a dream and..." She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to admit the past she had gone through, but managing to speak of it nonetheless.

"Any fear that I might have ever had... they made it come true... It's why Nightmares don't affect me... I've LIVED the horrors they only try and make... and worse things than Pitch even thinks to give children... I ... I want to help you Jack. I really do, but... I'm not sure I'm the right person to... I'm not pure enough..." She stared at her hands now, which were sitting in her lap.

"I was... once, years ago... before... before they got ahold of me but now..." She ran one hand through her hair, her gaze not shifting.

"Now I figure it's just a wonder I can still see you and the others." Jack stood up and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her in a gentle hug.

"I don't care how impure you say you are, I don't even care if you turned evil 'cause I know you can beat it." Jakul punches Jack so hard that he squeezes his eyes tight against the pain, crying out as the other used the bottom of his staff to stab his right arm; still, Jack doesn't let go of her, clutching her closely to him.

"Even if I die I'll protect you no matter what happens to me. Just know that I-I ... I... love you more than a sister." Jack gasps out as he collapses, taken over by the darkness that surrounds him and whisks him away somewhere dark.


	6. While Keeper's Away the Demons Will Play

"Jack!" Mysterie cries out as he's suddenly ripped from her. She closed her eyes, frantically searching for him with trails of dream sand. Connecting to them no matter where they are, bitting her lip at the nagging doubts that come with the voice in her own mind. She shoves it away, trying to ignore it as best as she can.  
"Wake up!" Jack gasps, seeing a familiar blue-black eyes met his bright icy blue.  
"W-where am I?" The other chuckles.  
"I took us a little farther from your Mysterie friend, pretty soon you won't have a choice but to give in and so you don't get lonely I'll help her with her little problem."

"NO! DON'T YOU EVER FUCKING DARE TOUCH HER!" Jack screamed angrily, Jakul grabbed Jack into a choke hold, causing the winter spirit to gasp for air.

"I'd watch that tongue Jack, next time I'm cutting it off." He loosened his grip but didn't let go all together either as he pulled out a dagger made of ice and cut a symbol into his skin while Jack could only grit his teeth as the words "fallen frost child" were etched into his skin. He then dropped Jack unceremoniously to the ground.

"Now you're ready." Jack's eyes went wide. Please! Someone... anyone help me! Mysterie paced the room, trying to ignore the seductive voice.

**I can help you... I can find him you know...**

"NO." She growled.

"I'm not letting you out..."

**Like you have a choice... you knew this day would come and it's not like you'll be alone... He'll be there to keep you company after all.** A strangled noise rose in Mysterie's throat before she spoke quietly after a moment's pause.

"I..." She hesitated and then sighed, whispering.

"If it means helping Jack..." She closes her eyes, a dark shadow seems to sweep over her form and once green eyes are now a dark amber.

**"Keep your pants on. Time to find ourselves a frost spirit."** She smirks, sinking into the nearest shadow; quickly searching every one and communicating with things that live in them until she easily picks up the trail and emerges from the nearest shadow.

**"You've overdone it... stop marking up that pretty little body of his Jakul." **Jack struggles to breath, bleeding from several wounds all over his body with some bones showing from some wounds. Jakul turns towards the newcomer.

"Awww, but I was just having fun." Jack looks up at his friend, fear shooting through him as he meets amber eyes. No! Jack slowly backs away from both of the two that stood before him. S-she promised s-she would never give up... I don't believe her! Jack glared at the woman who resembled his friend, but clearly wasn't her.

"What have you done with Mysterie?!" His voice rose hotly.

**"You call THAT fun? Hun... you need to get out more!"** She laughed then smirked, seeing Jack's look of fear and delighting in it.

**"Oh please... she did tell you didn't she? I swear she's too easy when it comes to those she cares about."** A triumphant smirk slid across her features.

**"Wasn't hard to convince her... after all... she'll do ANYTHING so long as it means her friends are safe. Oh... I guess she didn't tell you that her friends are her only family to her... seeing as how she can't trust those idiots that share her blood." **She seemed to consider Jack's question a moment before a sickly sweet smile crossed her features.

**"Done? Oh sweet cakes... I haven't DONE anything... She's just sleeping... more or less." ** She grins and saunters over to Jack, backing him into a corner.

**"Can't have you bleeding all over the place, otherwise we can't have fun at all." **She begins to work on mending all the damage that Jakul did, black sand sliding over the wounds, knitting flesh and resetting bones. She then turned her attention back to Jakul.

**"We can have fun with Jack later... after we've got the world under our thumb and dealt with that irksome Boogeyman." **Hurt flashed across Jack's face and he bowed his head. Jakul looks at the woman.

"I can't get him to break, he won't let me take over." Jack growls and mutters under his breath, it's surprising that she can catch it.

"And I never will you dick, and as soon as I get out of here I am getting Mysterie."

"I like the sound of what you're saying actually, but first I need a little help since I am attached to him." Jakul smiles darkly even as he points to Jack who attempts to back away from the two a little more.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME! I'LL NEVER LET THIS HAPPEN!"

**"Well... I think I can put him to sleep easy enough." **She puts a hand on Jack's forehead, letting a small trick of black sand flow as she continues.

**"Tell me... when's the last time you heard a child ****scream? Oh... how delicious it is when the child loses their innocence for the first time... I love taking that part of childhood from them. They make the most delicious of sounds! I can teach you how to make them beg... and if you like... I'll share the first victim with you that I have in mind. Only fitting after all that it be Jack's first believer... the boy is young at heart and mind, but he's grown up enough that I'm sure it won't take much to get him to beg after he starts screaming..."** She chuckles darkly at the thought, having done all this before... Jack struggled against the black sand.

"No, Mysterie, don't do this. I know you're still there!" Jack rasps, feeling the sand make him sink and feel more pain as he resists its influence.

"I WON'T LET YOU TOUCH JAMIE!" Jack screams out at the end as he collapsed, Jakul smiled.

"Isn't he cute when he knows he cannot win?" Jakul turns to his new accomplice, laughing as he seeps into Jack's body and takes control. Standing up, he laughs darkly in Jack's voice.

"Now I'm ready to hear the screams of innocence being ripped away." He flies off towards Jamie. Little do either know, Jamie had sensed that something was wrong and had contacted the other Guardians. She followed Jakul behind closely as she laughed darkly.

**"Oh we are going to have LOTS of fun you and I... Let's make this even more fun... we'll make his sister watch! She's too young to be any fun herself..."**

Being the closest to Jamie, Tooth and Sandy were the first to arrive at the boy's home, wondering what it was that could be so wrong that would cause the boy to reach out to them instead of just Jack; they all knew how close their youngest member was to the boy.


	7. Run of Shadows

**"Oh, silly me... where **are** my manners? I'm Shadow." **She smirks.

**"Nice to meet you at last."** Jack fights hard against Jakul, causing him to lose control of Jack's body. Jack gasps, finally free, but Jakul begins to fight for control again and Jack tackles Shadow who lets out a strangled sound when Jack tackles her.

"I won't let you harm Jamie! Never! I know you're in there Mysterie, listen to me, she was lying to you... come back!" Tooth and Sandy hear the commotion and fly out from the boy's room, Sandy's mouth opens in a silent gasp; the golden Guardian knowing full well what's going on with both and Jack was able to get out a single word before he lost control again.

"Guys!" Jamie ran out the front door. Shadow smirks when she sees Jamie and slides from beneath Jakul.

"JACK!" He ran towards him, thinking it was Jack. Jakul smirked at Shadow.

"How shall we do this? Two at the same time or me first then you?" Jamie stares at Jakul in pure fear as he slowly starts forward only to be smacked in the head with a boomerang causing him to growl out.

"Let's deal with your friends first... we can always add them to audience. I'll take care of Sandy, you take Tooth."

"You'll pay for that you blasted kangaroo!" Jakul twitches in frustration while Sandy lunges towards Shadow. Dodging a well aimed sword from North, Jakul hops on it, balancing on the edge and snickers as he freezes the weapon. North drops it, trying to warm up his hand while Jamie runs towards Jakul.

"JACK SNAP OUT OF IT! THIS ISN'T YOU!" Jakul looks at him with bloodlust filled eyes.

"Oh, but it is Jamie and it always will be." Jakul tackled him to the ground, the boy's face heats up at the position he's in when Jakul purrs as one hand slides along the boy's body.

"How's it feel Jamie?" The boy growls and actually gives a well aimed right hook, Jakul jumps off him, covering his nose and screaming while Jack inwardly laughs. Way to go Jamie! Shadow dodges the dream-maker's whips easily enough, catching a third attempt and forcing Sandy to let go as the whip suddenly turns instantly to black sand; trying to keep it from touching him. Shock appears in the golden man's eyes before determination replaces it and the two of them soar higher into the air as they face off. Tooth tackles Jakul.

"Argh! Annoying fairy!" He growls, pushing her off and causing the wind to lash wildly as he sees Jamie come with ropes when Bunny and North both tackle him and pin him down. Jack can't help but smile within. I knew they could handle it! I felt guilt eat at me though.

"Now Jack you stay right here while we help Mysterie come to her senses." Tooth said before the three go to aide Sandy. Jamie walks over to Jakul.

"Jack, I know you're in there. Just fight him, for me, please." Jakul struggles fruitlessly against the binds.

"There is no more Jack, only Jakul Frost! Get it?!" Jamie slaps his cheek hard, for a moment Jack's eyes become their normal blue.

"J-jamie..." The boy smiles and Jack fights harder for control.

Sandy is slammed into North and Bunny who are giving chase. A Nightmare in the shape of a large bear rears behind Jamie; holding him captive as Shadow swings around to join Jakul with an evil smirk.

"You can't win Guardians. I am the Ultimate Nightmare. Born from the fears of all mankind. This is only the beginning..." The four lunge forward, having recovered, only to be sent flying by a wave of black sand. Jakul falters while fighting and Jack is able to speak.

"Mysterie stop it! W-we're your friends, put Jamie down!" Jack screamed loudly at the end and Jack froze her on the spot, ice wolves surrounding her and ice knives float up, pointed at her just in case Shadow makes any moves. Jack was furious now, he was done with all this. Freezing the ropes around him, he destroyed the Nightmare bear in a single blast and scooped up Jamie in a protective hold.

**"Get over it!" **She snaps.

**"I'm in control now ****frosty!"** She manages to free herself from the ice, but only scowls at seeing the tables turned; the advantage lost.

**"This isn't over Jack... you can't fight who you are."** Black sand whirls around Shadow and she disappears into the midst, leaving Jack to explain to the Guardians what the heck had just happened. Jack rubbed his neck as the other Guardians looked at him with slight anger... well at least Bunny was.

"Explain, now frostbite." Jack sighed and folding his legs beneath him and settling on the ground he told them everything, from the beginning of the nightmares and meeting Kari/Mysterie to the fights between him and Jakul. Tears slip free from Jamie's eyes and he hugs the winter Guardian.

"NOW IT'S MY TURN TO HELP MYSTERIE!" All eyes are on Jack with sympathy, particularly when North told me to stay at the North Pole, knowing full well that Shadow's target would be Jack and that she'd return to get him.

"But!"

"No buts Jack, she will be back and this time she probably has goal in mind." North said and Jack slumped in defeat as the group pushed him into a snow globe portal along with Jamie. Jack notices there's a lot of protection at the workshop, most likely to keep Shadow from getting Jack. Jamie truest to comfort Jack but the winter spirit only pushes him away.

"Not now Jamie, leave me be. I'm just going to hurt you again... now that I know I'm evil." Jamie growls and slaps Jack.

"Get over it Jack! He doesn't control you, she doesn't control you! What happened to the fun winter spirit I used to know?!" Jack only glances away guiltily and heads for his room.


	8. Not So Evil

Shadow watches the scene from the nearest shadow in the North Pole, already having figured out that was where the Guardians would have taken Jack.

"You're not evil..." She whispers softly, but it's not entirely her even as she disappears back into the shadows again. In his room, Jack is all but tearing his hair out as Jakul lists all the reasons that Jack should give in again.

"Oh will you just shut up!" Jakul recoiled from Jack's anger in surprise.

**Geez, don't have to get mad.** Jack just gave him the darkest glare, one that would make anyone wonder what was wrong with him.

"God, that's it I am fucking out of here. I am going to beat the Shadow bitch till she's nothing but a shadow and get Mysterie back!" As it turned out, Jamie had heard the entire rant through the door and raced to get the Guardians to follow, but was too late as Jack set out to find Shadow alone. Not knowing that Shadow had been waiting for him to crack and go out on his own. A soft, dark chuckle echoes in the air.

**"A good try my dear... but now I have him... This time he won't have the Guardians to save him..."** She begins to purposely leave a trail of silver sand for Jack to follow. Jack follows the sand from the pole into a forest.

"Hello?" He shivers slightly from the feeling of being watched and looks into the darkest shadows.

"I know you're out there Shadow so face me like a man! Well, woMan..." Shoot, it's a trap! How stupid am I? Jack thought suddenly, preparing to launch off out of there. Before he can leave, she comes out of hiding with a soft chuckle.

**"Hello Jack."**

"No, stay back Shadow!" Jack opined his staff, ready to freeze her if necceassry. He growled at her.

"Give Mysterie back now." Jack gave her the dark glare he'd given Jakul earlier. Jack glanced around him, noticing that it was darker, more menacing in this forest than before but keeps his attention on Shadow and his surroundings, looking for any dirty tricks. She raised her hands in surrender.

**"I didn't draw you here to fight. I might be her darker half, but I'm not stupid. I can't match your power... even if I could destroy the others... Although I would not shoot were I you. You wouldn't want to hurt your little light would you?"** Hands still in the air, she stepped back and to the side a bit to reveal a sleeping Jamie at her feet, curled in a blanket of silver sand. Sleeping peacefully for the moment.

"Jamie! Shadow I'm gonna... !" Before Jack can say anything further he notices that the sand covering the boy's mouth is slowly suffocating him.

"PLEASE STOP!" He sighs in defeat, lowering his staff.

"Alright... what do you want if you're not here to fight?" He shifted a little nervously, watching as the sand shifted so that the boy was still knocked out, but was no longer choking on the sand.

**"Want? That should be obvious, but since it's not let us simply talk. Tell me, frosty... how far would you go to keep him alive? Or perhaps you could show me." **

"I'd give him my life, Shadow. Mine as well as Mysterie's and I'll fight to show you if I have to." Instantly snow creatures rose from the air, wolves and a bear, as the wind howled around Jack. His eyes turning a bright white as the wind blew harshly at Shadow.

"I would give anything. I'd go further than anything to protect the people I love." Jack growled angrily. Shadow would have normally smirked at seeing the winter spirit so worked up, but there was something almost frightening... even to her, about it. With the cry of a warrior rising from Jack's throat, ice shot out of his staff towards Shadow at the same time that the ice creatures charged forward. Shadow didn't raise a hand, true to her word about not being here to fight.

**"I see."** She says softly. The snow creatures kicked up blinding snow as they charged forward, for an instant nothing could be seen. When the snow settled, Jamie is curled up on a giant pillow of sand; perfectly safe, but once again Shadow was gone. Like her name, she had simply disappeared into the darkness of the night.

"ARGH!" Jack cried in frustration as the Guardians landed behind Jack. North and Bunny looked furious while Tooth simply looked sympathetic towards Jack, seeming to be the only one; even Sandy was angry and the silent Guardian's symbols as well as body language shouted "angry" as far as Jack could tell.

"Jack! We told you stay there!" North said, Jack couldn't help but just glare at his fellow Guardians. Didn't they understand?

"Well sitting and doing nothing isn't going to bring Mysterie back!" He shouted fiercely at and Bunny was suddenly in his face.

"What's gotten into you?! You leave Jamie alone... don't you know how dangerous that was Frostbite?! He walk out alone to get us!" Jack growled back, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT YOU FUCKING RABBIT!" All of them winced at the volume of Jack's voice and the sound of the curse. Jakul watched the scene unfold next to Shadow who was watching from a safe distance.

"He'll be fun to control, won't he Shadow?" He asked.

"I don't think we'll get another chance. The Guardians will be sure it won't happen but... you know where to find me if ever you succeed." Jack continued to argue with the other Guardians, Jamie woke up and had to hold Jack back to keep the winter spirit from inadvertently hurting them. Jakul nods and decides he'll take his chances.

"JACK CALM DOWN! I'M OKAY! WE'LL GET MYSTERIE JUST CALM DOWN!" He yelled at his friend who struggled fruitlessly as he was wrangled into a bag; this time Jack yelled and hollered curses and promises; as Jack's sack was put in the back of the sleigh Bunny's ears flattened sadly, he picked Jamie up and took him back home but this time egg sentinels and yetis waited outside his house to protect him.

"Don't worry. Jack'll be fine mate, and we'll get Mysterie back as well as everything back to normal." Bunny said as Jamie looked at him as the two stood on his porch. Jamie was really worried about Jack; he'd never seen his friend act like this let alone ever heard him use a curse before. He'd never met this Mysterie that Jack had spoke of. Were they a new friend? The name was certainty unusual, but Jack hadn't mentioned some like that to him that he could recall. It seemed to be something only recent. After all... he couldn't remember when he'd had time for Jack lately or the winter spirit had done more than come by in the evenings for a quick chat. Still, Jamie would have remembered if Jack had mention someone with such a bizarre name. Just who was this Mysterie and why did they seem to have changed the winter spirit he'd always known? When the group had dispersed towards their separate destinations, Shadow had left the scene and had gone back to the ice cavern. The place that she first remembered since she'd been allowed control. She slid a hand along the ice walls, they were cool to the touch and it quieted her frustration but at the same time pain lanced through as memories surfaced. She stumbled towards the bed, knowing that Mysterie was responsible for this, just barely making it to the cool mattress before darkness stole consciousness from her.


	9. Third Time's a Charm

Jack's anger hadn't subsided even when he was back in a room at the pole.

"Hey Frost, what's up? Ready to beat up them Guardians?"

"SHUT IT JAKUL!" Jack yells in a huff. Jakul can feel the anger radiating off the frost spirit, but he lets it slide.

"What? I'm just suggesting you work with Shadow and me; you can even see Mysterie." Jack turns to him, hope filling his eyes at the mention of her, but he shakes his head; realizing that Jakul had almost fooled him.

"No, I c-can't." Jakul huffs in response, annoyed at Jack's resistance and floats off to where he knows Shadow will be, passing through any obstacle in his way, seeing as he's more ghost than anything at the moment. In his absence, Jack begins to think that maybe he should join them, but knows it's not what Mysterie would want him to do. Jakul walks into the ice cavern, when he sees Shadow asleep on the bed he grunts a little at the pain as he fades slightly, he collapses on a second bed in a different room. Only vaguely aware another room was added to what had first been a two room cavern. As Shadow sleeps, grayish sand swirls about her head; countless memories colliding as dreams, as if fighting for dominance. Sensing that Mysterie is fighting back, Jakul is awaken from his slumber and rushes to the second room.

"Shadow! Shadow wake up! We got a frost spirit to pick up. I think he considered our offer!" Shadow starts awake.

**"Geez Jakul. You think after that stunt of his that control comes easy?"** She gets up out of bed, not admitting just how hard control is actually coming now. Jack's show of a pure heart had awaken Mysterie and now the other was fighting to take control back and maintaining it wasn't easy. It was taking its toll.

**"Where are we meeting him?"**

"The pond, I think it may take a bit of magic to keep him in his place." Jakul smirked, happy that Jack had finally accepted, that he'd wanted to join them and hadn't wanted any more of his family to be hurt. That was the one condition Jack had insisted upon before leaving for the pond.

**"Hmmm... alright."** It wasn't far, but something about this didn't sit right with her. This seemed too easy. Jack had put up too much of a fight before and now he would join just like that? It was highly suspicious, even if he had been mad at them the previous evening she didn't doubt Jack's devotion to them... so why would he agree to this?

Jack stood on the pond, waiting for them to arrive; hiding his fear that this plan could backfire, that something could go wrong. Jamie was hiding somewhere nearby, ready to alert the other Guardians if there were any problems. Jakul came into view first, Shadow behind him and Jack simply held an emotionless stare at the two despite that anger, guilt and sadness began to rise in him when he sees Shadow. Jack hopes that she can't sense it.

"So, you ready to go Frost?" Jakul asks and Jack nodded. Jack cast a single snowflake into the north wind, knowing full well that doing so will cause the wind to smash into Jakul because it hates him.

"Alright, alright, I won't ride ya again." Jakul grumbles as he swats at the wind.

"Ok, I'll just use south from now on. Sheesh." Jack began to feel nervous when he realizes that Shadow is watching him a bit too closely.

**"What changed your mind?"** She asked, ignoring the wind's battering of Jakul; her suspicions had yet to be eased.

"Uh... I'm kind of tired of fighting, and maybe you have a good point. The Guardians are worthless people who use things to bribe kids and I should join you because of that." Jack quickly hides the notecards in his sleeve before either of them can see. He still shuffles nervously though and Jamie notices that as well as the fact that Shadow is studying Jack. Jack does his best not to cringe, hoping that Shadow doesn't sense the fear coming from him. He glances around, wondering where Sandy is. God... this is never going to fucking work... Shadow doesn't show it, but is surprised to realize that she can sense Jack's emotions. What was this? This had never happened before... with anyone. Friend or foe, neither she nor Mysterie had ever been connected to anyone on a level like this. Even more curious, to her at least, was her lack of motivation to simply reveal to Jakul what she had figured out. This whole thing wasn't real, Jack was lying through his teeth if this... bond thing, for lack of a better term, was to be believed. Then again, Jack's words rang a little hollow anyway; Shadow was pretty certain that Jack didn't think any such thing of his fellow Guardians. She raised an eyebrow at Jack's choice of words and glanced over to Jakul, but the other didn't seem to notice anything is wrong with this situation; she stays silent about it though. She's not sure why, but something in her mind... besides Mysterie, is telling her watch and wait and see how this all plays out.

**"If you're tired of fighting, why would you join us? Don't you realize you'd be fighting your friends instead?" **It seemed a sound question, even as she felt the fear rising in Jack; she crosses her arms as she waits for some sort of answer. She didn't think the question would give away that she thought this whole thing a farce. Mysterie had taken lessons in acting when she'd been younger and Shadow was putting what had been learned to good use. Even as she looks at Jack, she still can't figure out what is keeping her silent, swearing that she saw something gold glint out of the corner of her eye. Were the Guardians here?

"Yes, I just want some revenge." Jack said, becoming emotionless again; making Shadow wonder if she was just imagining things, but it doesn't throw off her suspicions. Jamie calls into a walkie talkie.

"It isn't working. Plan B." It crackles before there's a response.

"Alright, get Frostbite out." Bunny replies. Jakul suddenly senses that someone is nearby.

"You're alone, right frost brat?" He asks accusingly and Jack nods though he notices the expression on Shadow's face that meant she knew.

NO... HOW COULD SHE FIGURE IT OUT?! Sandy appears, immediately trying to wrap Shadow in his sand whips while Bunny tackles Jakul from behind; North and Bunny tangle with him while Tooth rushes forward towards Shadow to try and get her to stay still. Jack stands where he is, feeling tears burn his eyes; he didn't want things to be this way, never had he thought it would come to this. More tears are stilled though as Jack feels Jamie's hand wrap around one of his. Jack looks down and smiles at the boy. He shifts his gaze to Shadow, seeing the rage at what he'd done. Knowing that Shadow intended to get to him, he grabbed Jamie and fled; not wanting to put his believer in danger or allow her to get anywhere near the boy again. He set the boy down at his house.

"Jamie, don't move. I'll be back. If anything happens to me, just remember that you're my best and first believer; my best friend." Jamie nods, hoping that nothing will happen. Concern clearly shining in the boy's eyes, hoping against hope that Jack will be alright.

"Be careful Jack." Jack nods before he takes off back to the battle.

Shadow touches the sand whips that wrapped around her, they shimmer to a silver color and instead entwine around the Guardian of Dreams in return, allowing her to brush off the sound and glance towards Jakul who is dealing with North and Bunny. Seeing Tooth try and grab her, she drops low to keep out of Tooth's grasp, knowing that this wasn't a battle she could win as soon as Jack returns and there is no doubt in her mind that he will return. She takes off high into the sky with Tooth giving chase, leaving Jakul to deal with the others. Jakul... you're as easily duped as Pitch. Idiot... She thought as she wove through the trees, trying to lose Tooth while Sandy fights to free himself from being tied up and tied to a tree by the sand. Seeing her chance, Shadow dives into the shadow of a boulder and vanishes, leaving Tooth to huff in defeat and return to where the others are. Jack paces the clearing, anger rising in him when Tooth returns empty handed.

"DAMN IT!" The four look at Jack with concern.

"Jack, we've tried everything. I think it's... it's time we get rid of her. Like we do with every threat that opposes us and the children." Tooth said hesitantly and Jack scowls at her as anger pulses through him with such force that even Shadow could feel it from where she was. Shadow wondered if such anger could be useful, but decides against it; having it aimed her direction meant trouble and there was no doubt she knew she could never take Jack head on and win.

"No, I am not letting that happen. W-we have to get her back!" Jack yelled, tears threatening to spill over from the love and compassion that swamped over him. The feelings Shadow sensed slammed into her like a brick, despite the current distance.

"I won't give up!" Jamie walked out from the woods, having caught the last bits of the conversation and went over to Jack; motioning that the winter spirit should kneel to his level. Jack did, not sure what to expect as the boy was looking at him sternly. The boy smacked him, causing Jack's eyes to widen as he jolted back, holding his breasted cheek.

"J-Jamie?" What had he done to deserve that?

"Jack, I know how you feel but it's ridiculous. The Mysterie you once knew isn't coming back. She's just another threat like Pitch!" The anger the boy was showing startled everyone, but the others only gave Jack a look of irritated pity. They also thought that Jack needed to come to his senses. To see what was right before him, that Shadow couldn't be reasoned with. Jack felt his anger rise within him.

"YOU KNOW WHAT? FINE, DON'T HELP! I CAN DO THIS ON MY OWN!" He screamed before flying off. His destination, Antarctica. He landed next to the giant ice and sand sculpture that had been created during an early fight with Pitch. He sat down and hugged his knees close, listening to the angry howling of the wind around him that echoed his turbulent emotions. Shadow had the same idea that Jack had, more or less and she had gone to the one place she'd hoped that none of the Guardians would think to look. She'd settled herself on the opposite side of the sculpture before Jack had even arrived; there had been a mild blizzard there - well, as mild as it got in such a place - and she'd huddled next to the sculpture to protect her from the icy winds; pain sliced through her though as Mysterie fought hard for control and after a long moment of battling, as the winds became worse from Jack's emotions, Shadow's mind slipped from the conscious world. Several minutes passed before Jack began to take note that he'd been sensing another presence. He moved to the other side of the sculpture, rubbing his eyes a moment to make sure he's not just seeing things when he spots the unconscious form.

"M-M-Mysterie!" He runs towards her and notices that her skin is paler than it should be.

"Mysterie, I would die for you even if it meant melting." He said as he pulled her into his arms, bridal style. He knew he had to get her warmed up quickly, she was still only mortal. I'll go to one of the caverns that helped me think when I didn't want anyone around me. He thought, it was also the closest place and he didn't have time to waste; not to mention he didn't think North would be happy if he suddenly showed up at the workshop with Shadow... definitely wouldn't likely be welcoming of either of them even if she was currently unconscious. When he got her to the cavern he set her against one wall and tried making a fire with what materials he could find, but it proved difficult and in the end he ended up using a lighter he'd once found on the ground. He stayed as far from the fire as he could, but watched her carefully as the fire's warmth heated a small area in the cavern near her and the ice slowly begins to melt off her skin.

"Please Mysterie... come back." She didn't really feel the cold anymore; slowly she opened her eyes as the ice thawed off of the cloak that Shadow and picked up before coming to this tundra. Shadow hadn't been dense after all, broken from her slumber; she seemed to have gotten a mixed eye color in her sleep. Green eyes with amber gold flecks took in the scene about her.

"Jack?" She murmured softly, a little surprised to see the young Guardian. Jack, who'd been off in thought, jumped at the sound of her voice and turned to her.

"Mysterie, is it really you?" He ventured but suddenly seemed to answer the question for himself.

"Oh my god I missed you so much!" His joy brightened his eyes and, though he didn't admit to it, his heart was fluttering in his chest for a different reason. Suddenly nervous, he glances about the place at the angry messages written repeatedly on the walls some saying: I am nothing and that's all I'll ever be Her eyes drifted in the direction his did and she began to wonder about them, even more so when she say ones like: End it all Jack flushed crimson when her eyes turned back to him.

"This is where I come to think when things are too much... as well as when I want to be alone. Are you hungry?" Mysterie blinks as her mind slowly begins to catch up with what she's actually seeing and winces a little at the writings. Echoes of things she has thought herself too many times in the past.

"No... I'm not." She considered her next words carefully, knowing the answer could mean everything or nothing at all.

"Jack... why did you do this?" Her gaze flickered from him to the walls and back again; she felt stiff from the cold, but she didn't want to move just yet.

"Because... I care about you and nothing will ever change how I feel. Also, I could never bring myself to hurt you but the Guardians are done reasoning." Anger rises in him as he remembers how easily his fellow Guardians had thrown away the idea that Shadow could be stopped just like they had stopped Jakul... and without violence. Even if Jakul could have a form separate from Jack, it didn't mean Jack was rid of him and he knew for sure now that Shadow was just like Jakul in that it was something that just couldn't easily be taken care of. Mysterie slowly stood, ignoring the pain of muscles that were stiff from being in the cold too long. She moved over to Jack and wrapped him in a gentle embrace.

"Do not be angry with them... I understand why they are not as understanding as you... they do not have your pure heart." She murmured, she had never met anyone who had a heart as pure as Jack's was... untainted by jealousy or hatred for those around him. Jack sighed.

"I just wish things would go back to the way they were." He hugged her tightly, sobbing suddenly.

"I just can't take this anymore! I'm done fighting!" Tears poured from his eyes, freezing and falling down onto her, though she didn't mind it. Instead, she simply wiped away his tears with gentle fingers. Her voice a quiet, soothing sound.

"It's okay Jack. You don't have to." Exhausted from his emotions, he lets out a hiccup before falling asleep; he can sense the Guardians are nearby and struggles to push himself awake but is too exhausted. She soothes him to sleep with golden sand, understanding that his restless movements must mean the Guardians have tracked him down; something about sensing each other that she hadn't figured out but that made sense. So, why could she sense then when Jack was nearby? She wasn't a Guardian... Only once she was sure that Jack was soundly asleep did she push away the slight pain of standing and walk back out into the cold to face the other four Guardians, but she had no intention of fighting them and spoke before they could move to attack her.

"Do what you will, if only it means that Jack will not suffer. I am nothing, if not loyal to those who have my heart and there is nothing I would not sacrifice to see them happy." The cold air is too much for her body, which hasn't fully recovered from being in the cold before despite having sat by a fire. She is suddenly robbed of what is left of the strength that allows her to stand, and she collapses into the snow, her conscious mind fading into blackness.


	10. Sweet Dreams

When Jack wakes up, he finds himself in the infirmary at the North Pole.

"Huh?" He glances around, his eyes going wide as he takes it all in. Mysterie! He struggles to get out of the bed, tangled in the sheets; annoyed with them he rips the blanket and stumbles from the bed to see that the one next to him holds her. Tears slip from his eyes as he notices how pale she is.

"M-Mysterie?" He moved to hug her close.

"Please don't go." He hugs her tight, knowing too well what this might mean. Sandy floats over to him, a grim expression on the little man's face. Jack looks up at him.

"Please, Sandy... You gotta do something!" Sandy only shakes his head, knowing that there isn't anything he can do at this point; there isn't anything that anyone can do because she is mortal and mortals cannot stand the intense cold. How she had been standing it for as long as she had was a mystery to the Guardians. One that North had only suggested could be explained by the fact that she had powers no mortal should really have. She could control the same sand that Pitch and Sandy used and at the same time she could also turn it into something of her own as well. Even Jamie, with the strength of his belief for the Guardians, couldn't do anything more than turn Pitch's nightmare sand back into dream sand. This young woman was something else. Jack felt his sadness begin to turn to anger, why wouldn't they help?! Mysterie's breathing was more shallow than it should be, but she was still alive and the sound of Jack's voice had brought her out of her sleep. She couldn't open her eyes, she didn't have the strength to really. Her voice is almost too soft to be heard.

"Don't take it out on him... not... his fault." She was very cold, but her body was too weak to shiver from the cold that had seeped into her body and even the warmth of the place couldn't change the damage that the intense cold had already wrought. Despite being weak from the cold, she refused to let go of this life just yet; though it is a struggle just to keep breathing.

"Mysterie, please don't give up." More tears fall from Jack and plink softly onto the bed.

"I don't know what I'd do without you..." Sandy tries to pull him away, but Jack resists.

"I'm not leaving her and if you won't help her then I will." Sandy sadly leaves to go get the others, understanding that Jack doesn't want to see the inevitable. Jack caresses her face, as if to memorize every part of it; as if this would be the last time he'd see it and he wanted to always remember.

"Don't go yet. I promise I won't give up. I'll help you, I promise." Her lips curve into a soft smile, both accustomed now and grateful to be able to sense Jack's feelings as if they were her own, but set apart. She couldn't find the strength to speak again, so instead she summoned a small thread of silver sand to form the words to speak for her:

I told them I would face their judgement so long as it mean you would not suffer... I'm afraid it is my own decision that has brought me to this.

The words lingered in the air for a moment until she was sure he had read them before they shifted to form new:

Much as I have the will to live... I do not know if it is enough. I am only mortal Jack. I could not hope to think someone like me would be able to be like you...

The sand shifted one more time:

You who are pure of heart when you were taken from life.

"Please keep fighting to live. You'll be fine. I-I-I promise." More tears slip from his eyes and land harshly on the floor only to be joined with others.

"I am just so happy you're alive." He hugs her again gently, pulling back after a while to see that the silver sand has formed more words:

Don't make promises you cannot keep. I know a little too well what cold can do... but I took my chances anyway because I knew that it would silence her...

Another shift of sand:

I did not expect to find you there as well.

"Please don't do this." Jack felt his heart shattering as he gazed at her, he knew she spoke only the truth but it was tearing him apart. His eyes were rimmed red now from crying; he hugged her all the more close to him, she could sense passion, love and something else that didn't quite have a name flowing from him. A soft sigh, almost too soft to be heard, escapes her. She had noticed the feeling, how could she not when he was this close to her? The sand shifted positions so that Jack could see it again:

Jack? Is there something you're not telling me?

"Um n-nothing." He stammers a little, blushing as he pulls back and in his nervousness starts backing towards the nearest window.

"I-I think I'll see you later. Please, just try to hold on." He leaps out of the window and she feels the unnamed feeling suddenly grow stronger. The silver sand chases him out the window, even as she manages to get the strength to speak aloud, though its raspy.

"Jack..." Struggling to speak more, she finally gives up and the sand that had chased him out the window forms the rest of the words she had meant to say:

You realize... Anything you don't say now... I may never know.

Jack tenses, realizing all too well what the words are implying. That there won't be a next time. That the next time he comes back to see her... It's enough for him to speak, rather than flying away.

"M-mysterie I-I..." He nearly chokes on the words, whispering as if to hope that she wouldn't hear.

"I love you." She blinked a moment, recalling that he'd said that before but hadn't he meant that... Maybe then, but now... Now it meant something different and she knew it. She was not sure what to say, quite literally speechless for the moment. Almost as if it had a mind of its own, the silver sand shifted again to swirl around in the air as if dancing for joy before it slowly formed into a perfect, silver form of a heart. Jack turns from the sand to look at her, shock evident on his face as he floats into the room and walks back over to her. His heart was pounding a mile a minute in his chest, did he dare hope it meant what he thought it meant?

"Y-you m-mean it?" There was joy and an old fear written on his face as memories resurfaced in the back of his mind. Jakul appeared behind Jack and snickered.

"Hey buddy, you got yourself a girl." Jack scowls at him over his shoulder.

"What the hell are you still doing here?! and it's none of your business." Jakul just smiles then gives Mysterie an evil smile.

"Just wanted you to know you can't fight me off forever, you will slip up soon." Jack growled, hugging her protectively as the wind pushes Jakul out of the window; caught unaware he falls to the snow below, cursing at the north wind as Jack turned his attention back to Mysterie as their eyes met once more, their lips were only inches apart. She met his gaze, sand shifting beneath her to give the push needed to close the gap. Jack's cheeks blushed nearly purple; a sound near the door caught his attention and he broke the kiss turning towards the door to see the other Guardians just staring at the two of them with wide eyes. Jack rubs the back of his neck a little nervously.

"Um, hey guys." Three of the four wave and Jack turns back to Mysterie.

"You wanna go to the ice cavern for a little while?" She nods.

"Wait, don't think is such good idea." North began, finally getting over having seen the kiss. The others look about to protest until a stream of silver sand floats before them:

I know what I'm doing. Please... as a last request.

Mysterie made sure the last part was too small for Jack to read, but the others could and shared a look between them before all nodded slightly. They could at least allow that, it was only fair and she really hadn't done anything that would warrant them denying her. Each knowing too well that despite the care given, there was no going back. It was just a matter of time before life slipped away from the mortal. Jack picked her up, holding her close as he flew off to the icy cavern that had become theirs without either really meaning it to be; it had just happened.

"Hey, wanna get some ice cream before we head there?" He asked as he created beautiful snowflakes around them that had pictures of animals or of some of the adventures the two of them had experienced together. Mysterie smiled at the little snowflakes, wrapping her arms around Jack as best as she could but shook her head at the offer of ice cream. It would only speed up everything and she wanted as much time with Jack that she was allowed.

"Okay." He smiled as they reached the cavern. When he walked inside it was obvious that he'd changed it a little so that it was now a full house on the inside. Furniture had been added and beautiful frost patterns decorated the walls. The ice furniture sparkled like crystal and Mysterie's eyes widened in both surprise and appreciation.

"You see I... um... made it a bit nice for you. Do you like it? If not I - we can go somewhere else." Jack shivered a bit in nervousness, not knowing what she would think, but he didn't need to be nervous.

"It's beautiful Jack." She murmured, the sight of it took her breath away. Not just because it was beautiful, but because Jack had done this for her. How had she found someone who was so thoughtful? She wondered what it was the winter spirit saw in her. She leaned her head against him even as she looked about her. She felt her strength dwindling. No... please... just a little longer... She thought. She didn't want to die in his arms, not like this. Unaware of her thoughts, Jack sighed contently; feeling that this is how their lives should be. He set her down, but kept an arm wrapped around her waist. Oh man... what are the other Guardians gonna think?! He wondered suddenly, he bit the inside of his cheek; aware that she probably sensed his sudden distress as he's suddenly worried about what his comrades would think instead of what was going on in the moment.

"Don't worry about them." She murmured softly. Sadly... it won't last... I wonder how much longer I will... She brushed aside the thought, turning her attention to the moment instead, content and happy just to be close to Jack. Her words calm down Jack and he turns his attention back to her.

"I love you, you know that?" He asks, looking at her even as pain blooms in one side. Shit! Not him again... Not wanting her to worry he smiles.

"Will you excuse me a moment?" She nods and settles into a chair as Jack heads to the bathroom, closing the door and locking it behind him before turning to look at the mirror only to see Jakul smirking back at him.

"I told you I'd be back." Jack glared at him.

"Yeah, now get out of here."

"Tsk, tsk. No way. I'm apart of you remember? Your temptations, desires, and I know what you want right now." He smirks as Jack's face heats up and Jakul materializes from the mirror.

"N-not like that! It's nothing like that!" Jack stutters.

"I just want her to know she doesn't have to be afraid." Jakul chuckles.

"Well, either way Jack, you're going to lose control and it's only a matter of time before she notices." Jack punches him, dislocating his jaw with the force of it.

"SHUT UP!" Jakul cracks his jaw back into place before growling.

"Stop trying to fight the inevitable Jack! You have no choice." Jack covered his ears, as if that would protect him from the words that were trying to worm their way into his head.

"Please be quiet and leave me and her alone." Jack begins to cry, whimpering softly but soon it all stops and Jack; feeling more like himself, comes out, pretending that everything is fine.

"Hey Mysterie, I got to go spread snow in Alaska. I'll be right back, anything you want me to bring back?" Despite knowing what is wrong, she smiles when he returns. The silver sand she makes weaves above her head a lot like Sandy's except that it actually spells out what she wants to say:

No thanks. Yeah... I know it and I love you too Snowflake.

Jack smiles even as the pain increases.

"Well, see you later." As he leaves he hears Jakul snicker because he knows that she knows what is going on. His voice whispering close to her as he momentarily forms behind her.

"You can't save him now my dear." She feels her heart clench at the sickening sound of triumph in those words, as Jakul knows all too well the thing that Jack doesn't want to even think of. He leaves when Jack does. Jack only groans for him to leave him alone, even knowing that Mysterie can hear him. It's only when the two are gone that she sighs quietly.

**It's time now.** A benevolent voice whispers quietly. With reluctance, she gazes around the room before finally nodding slowly and closing her eyes. The voice is right, much as she hated to admit it. It was a voice she had only begun to hear since arriving at the pole with the Guardians hours before; a voice that was neither her own thoughts nor Shadow and could only belong to one... With a heavy heart, she sighed out her final breath as a mortal; the cold wrapping around her like a comforting blanket, as gentle as the embrace of a mother lulling her child to sleep. The final sleep.


	11. To Be

Jack returns to the ice cavern, having stopped over Thailand while he was at it.

"Will you shut up Jakul!"

"What? I'm just saying that it'd be nice for us to at least have a house somewhere in the mountains." Jack rubbed his temples as he went to the mouth of the cave.

"Hey Mysterie, I brought back some stuff. I'll just set the Thailand candy on the table." He said, doing just that, but when he turns to her he notices that she's not moving, or breathing. His expression gives way to horror as what he was seeing began to sink into him.

"NO!" He rushed over to her, hugging her lifeless body.

"You said... you..." He began sobbing. Crying out all of his anguish in one single scream that echoed across for miles. Jamie would swear later that he'd never heard anything more heart-breaking than that cry and never would hear anything quite like it again in all of his life. Sandy was nearby, sending out dreams when he heard the cry and he was the first of the Guardians to respond, even as Jamie shook the globe that North had given him as a way to alert the Guardians that he needed them.

"WHY?! WHY DID YOU DO IT?! YOU!" Jack sobbed his heart out for hours, Sandy could only hug him in a vain attempt to comfort the distraught winter spirit. When the others arrived, Jack had passed out from exhaustion and Sandy was carrying him on a sand cloud to keep nightmares away and ensure that he slept peacefully. The Guardians moved Mysterie's body from where it was on the ice chair and carried it back to the pole; giving her a proper burial was the least they could do for her, especially for Jack since they had carelessly given up on trying to help Jack get his friend back. It had never occurred to any of them, until that moment in the infirmary, that Jack would care for the mortal woman as more than just a friend. It weighed heavily on their hearts, but they were Guardians of children, not adults and this woman had passed from the stage of childhood years ago. That she had still been able to see Jack or any of them had been a rare and precious miracle all of its own. Each of them quietly grieved, weighed with the guilt that they should have noticed the signs sooner that this mortal had been more than just a friend to the youngest Guardian; that he'd grown close to her in such a short time. None of them really noticed that Manny (aka Man in the Moon) had taken note of what they all had missed.

An hour after the burial everyone had separated, each had paid their respects to the woman's passing though no one had said a word; North would have spoken if he had been sure of what would have been right to say, but the one who had known her best, Jack, was too stricken to speak and the winter spirit had been too upset to attend or more to the point, he had cried himself into exhaustion a second time. Though the workshop was in full swing as usual now, the usual din was muted and the elves solemn; their bells rarely making noise as they walked quietly about their duties. Such was the feeling of mourning, Sandy had to use an extra dose of dream sand when Jack had exhausted himself just to keep the winter spirit from tossing and turning in his sleep. Since none of them had really known her, or even what she could do, it was no surprise that as they were going about their normal jobs that no one in the workshop noticed the silver strand of sand that slithered through the air, past the workers and into the room where Jack was. It swirled about him to get his attention, having no voice of its own. Jack had been staring into space on the balcony of his room, the doors thrown open behind him when the sand found him. His eyes went wide as he stared at the sand.

"Mysterie!" He reached out to touch the sand before him, it was warm beneath his fingers and was a little like stroking a lizard only less rough. With a soft smile he plays with the sand, fascinated at how it slides through his fingers when he tries to grasp it.

"Insistant lil..." Jakul growls as he appears and catches the sand in a jar.

"JAKUL, LET HER OUT!" Jack shouted, obviously thinking that the strand of sand was more than it was. Jakul pinned him to the wall, Jack struggled against the other's strength.

"And why would I do that Jack? She's just trouble and you know it so forget about her!" Jack ignores the barb and struggles to get to the glass jar. The sand inside the jar dances excitedly, swirling about before forming a hand, for a brief time, and beckons to Jack to follow despite being caught. Jack pushes Jakul off with the strength of a raging rhino, slamming the other into the same wall and shattering the glass. The sand swirls up, now free and dances in front of Jakul just long enough to spell out:

Tsk Tsk Jakul... You assume too much...

It then dances away with Jack following behind with a smile. It zips through his room and out into the hallway, easily avoiding every other living thing as it zips to another room at the far end of the workshop, slipping into a room that has its door half open and towards the balcony; one of the glass doors is open and the sand swirls around the figure in a brown cloak a couple of times before disappearing. Jakul growls and summons the southern wind to blow Jack away from the figure, Jack is slammed into a wall and pinned by ice. Jack lets out a scream as Jakul twists a sharpened blade into one of the unhealed wounds that Jack had never told anyone about.

"Mysterie! Go get the Guardians!" Jack screeched as Jakul twisted one arm and it snaps, Jakul chuckles at the painful cry.

"Now, you gonna be god and let me take over or am I going to have to kill you slowly to do it?" Jack can barely breathe over the pain. The figure on the balcony turns, silver highlights sparkle in chestnut brown hair, her eyes narrow at Jakul.

"Maybe it's time I deal with you myself." Mysterie says, a strand of silver sand shooting off to fetch each of the Guardians, but a second forms into a deadly katana. She strikes over to Jakul and levels the blade at him like a master fencer.

"Unless, of course, you are afraid of begin beaten by a girl..." She smirks a little, emerald green eyes glinting with challenge. Jakul releases Jack, his black blue eyes shining with fear.

"Fine, but know this you can't kill me when Jack's desires win over, I'll always be inside of him; and when he slips up you won't be able to save him." He said before turning into nothing but snow that returned to Jack's body. Mysterie said nothing, there was no point and she knew that Jakul had spoken the truth. Just as Shadow was always with her, waiting for her to slip up so would Jakul be there, waiting for Jack to. Jack gasped, collapsing in pain, he was becoming paler by the second due to the blood that was seeping from his reopened wound. The Guardians burst into the room then and Tooth gasps when she sees Jack while Bunny hops over to Mysterie.

"What the 'ell happened here mate?" He asks, narrowing his eyes a little suspiciously at her despite the fact that there is no evidence of a weapon to cause Jack to be like he is, as Mysterie had let her sand blade disperse once Jakul had disappeared. North looks a little like he's going to have a fit over seeing Jack hurt and Sandy is working on keeping Jack awake. Mysterie moves over to where Jack is, ignoring Bunny's question for the moment as she kneels next to Jack. Sandy looks up at her, a question mark appearing above his head but she shakes her head sadly.

"This isn't over, until Jack can come to terms with his power... with what he's done in the past that created Jakul... it will never be over." Even as she says that, she knows that just coming to terms with the past is only part of what Jack needs to do. That it is much more complicated than that. She doesn't say so; however, and lightly caresses one of his cheeks.

"You better not have called us here for nuthin' those silver snake streams ain't gonna be my alarm bell." Mysterie frowned and turned to Bunny.

"You don't like them then you can shove those bombs of yours up your arse rabbit." She replies tonelessly before going on, before Bunny can think of a retort.

"As for what happened. Jakul did. I doubt I need explain that further."

"That don't explain you." Bunny shot back, narrowing his eyes at her.

"You want an explanation there you can ask the Moon. I haven't the faintest idea really, he didn't exactly tell me anything when I awoke." Even as she replied, a strand of silver sand was sliding from her hand and beneath Jack's clothes to wrap around any wound, knitting them closed so that he cannot lose anymore blood and acts a lot like stitches even for the blood vessels, keeping Jack from losing anymore blood. It moves over his entire body before returning to her hand and dispersing. Jack's breath hitches in pain, as the sand doesn't dull his nerves; unable to provide pain killer even as it takes away most of the source of the pain.

"Myst... I-I... don't think I c-c-can k-keep it up a-anymore." If I give in... maybe they will stop suffering because of me...

"Mysterie, please know one more thing... I love you with all my heart and no matter what happens, I always will." He takes a deep breath as he begins to accept Jakul. Emerald green eyes meet brilliant blue as she speaks quietly, the only one in range to hear her besides Jack is Sandy.

"The secret to overcoming darkness is to accept your past... accept what mistakes you have made. Only then can you control it as I have controlled Shadow. We cannot be rid of them, because they are always a part of us... but it is we who decide who is in control. I love you, Jack. If I have to... I will wait for you." Jack closes his eyes into the unknown void of acceptance. Sandy nods in agreement with what she says, his gaze one of sympathy knowing too well that while knowing is one thing, it is only part of the battle that Jack will need to go through to truly control himself. Mysterie glances over to Sandy and motions for him to get back, knowing too well what Jakul can do and not wanting the golden Guardian to be in the line of fire first. He looks at her uncertainly before drifting towards the other three who were now watching the pair with concern. She merely waits to see what will happen, knowing that in accepting the darkness with in good or bad could emerge... No longer bound by mortality, she didn't have to worry about the risk she was taking as she had when she'd been alive. Pain explodes inside Jack and he screams out, the nearest windows shatter from the sheer power of the outburst as all of Jack's mistakes flash before his mind's eye, the most recent one being about Mysterie and how he had let it happen. The power of winter causing him to glow brightly, but she doesn't move or shield her eyes like three of the other Guardians have to do.

"Myst-terie." Jack's voice is hoarse from screaming, as Jack is crying on the inside, Jakul takes advantage and takes control. Jakul stands.

"Wow, that took forever. Hello Guardians, Mysterie." He spits out her name like it was poison. She stands, but doesn't back down even as the next words cause the Guardians to tense.

"How about we have some fun first before I break in my new control?" He summons the staff to his hands, freezing Bunny in place before the spring spirit can tackle him and slamming the other Guardians into the nearest wall with an icy blast of wind. The force of the blast rendered both Tooth and North unconscious. Sandy just gets back up and looks over towards Mysterie, nodding to her that he's ready to take Jakul down. Jakul chuckles as he looks at his remaining opponents. All the while Jack is screaming and shouting inside, wanting out; there are no words to describe the sickening feeling of being trapped in your own body, to see out of eyes that aren't in your control and not being able to control your body. Mysterie nodded back at Sandy. Twin katanas form from silver sand as she stands ready to defend the other Guardians even as she feels her heart sink a little. As good as she was... She knew that just as Jack was the only one who could keep Shadow from wiping out the Guardians with her sand... So did she not stand a chance against Jakul. The question was... did he know it? Had he figured it out from the time when Shadow had nearly swept the Guardians away only to be stopped by Jack? With grim determination, she faced the enemy in silence; her eyes dulling with the experience of battle, for she was no stranger to combat; even newly immortal she had faced more fights, with the very blades she now wielded, when she had been alive than she had now and she was not one to be taken lightly. Jakul blasted ice at her, freezing her in place before creating a few ice daggers to slice his way through Sandy's sand.

"Hmph, that the best you can do Sandy?" He leaned on the staff, mocking a fake yawn as if bored with you both ready.

"LET ME OUT! I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS! I REALIZE MY MISTAKES, JUST PLEASE LET ME OUT!" Jack screeched, Mysterie nearly winced at the volume of it even as Jack realized that he was in a losing battle. Jakul created ice wolves that he sent after the Guardians who were slowly coming to. Bunny, who had come unstuck, was quick to defend the other two while a couple go over to Mysterie and Sandy. An ice bear snarls at her as it comes into being, its eyes a stormy blue instead of the normal blue Jack's creatures had always had.

"So Mysterie, how does it feel fighting the one you love? Does it tear you apart inside? Are you itching to give Shadow control now?" He smirked, tainting the smirk that she loved so with darkness. When she didn't respond right away.

"Well, I have one thing to say to you and I know Jack means this." He shook his head and she knew what he was going to say. It's not true! Stop! Stop it! Don't listen to him! Jack wants to scream, but the words don't form; they don't need to really because even without the verbal confirmation from Jack, she knows it's a lie even as Jakul speaks.

"Jack never loved you. He's been meaning to tell you because he never liked you. Just like none of the Guardians saw him for 300 years, ignoring him at those times, where were you when that happened? Huh?!" The barb doesn't hit its mark because as much as she wished she could have been there for Jack... she'd been mortal, a human and her parents hadn't even been born when Jack had emerged from his pond all those years ago. That was something Jakul obviously hadn't considered, or perhaps he'd not been paying attention to that one little detail. Sadness flickers in those brilliant blue eyes and it turns to regret; it is then that she realizes that not even Jack had noticed she was human and that he was losing completely to Jakul.

"Where were you?" Mysterie doesn't answer because she's trying to take in how she should answer Jakul if she does at all and is trying to free herself, at the same time, from the ice. A soft goodbye seems to be whispered, though it barely passes Jack's pale lips as Jakul sends a signal to the ice bear. Its claws tear down one arm, digging deep and leaving a trail; she cries out in pain while Sandy and Bunny barely have time to save the others from the wolves before and ice clone of Jack appears, it is a perfect replica, right down to the detail of the staff.

"It's over now Mysterie, Jack's mine!" She levels Jakul with a serious gaze, the wound throbbing, but she barely seems to notice it at the moment as his words dig deeper into her than the wound she had taken from the bear.

"Yes... It does hurt... but you know what? I can deal with that hurt because I suffered at the hands of demons worse than you. You think you know what fear is... what it is to torture someone... Don't make me laugh. What the Guardians did was a mistake... something everyone makes. I made the mistake of letting you live... of letting Shadow out in the first place. I know EVERYTHING Shadow knows Jakul and while it will kill me inside... I won't back down. You will have to kill me because I am not letting her back out again." Even as she spoke, her voice shook and she couldn't stop the tears that slid from her cheeks to the floor even as she faced him, the clone and the ice creatures. Silver sand slid over the four Guardians, covering them from sight and when the sand falls to the floor they are simply gone as she breaks free of the ice. Now it is just her and Jakul, she had given the four time to regroup. Her uninjured arm raises a blade to point at Jakul, it quivers slightly this time, but she still doesn't back down. The ice bear is driven back with a sand whip that snaps at it at her command even as blood stains her cloak. Standing before the "ice demon" is a woman who is a warrior through and through.

Jakul's eyes widen in sudden pain. Growling from inside, Jack manages to break some of the hold.

"Myst I... I..." Jack hissed in pain as he forced himself to try and melt more of the ice around her, he curled into a ball as Jakul struck mental daggers at Jack, trying to regain control.

"I-I... I'm so sorry... he's just so strong!" Tears think and clink to the floor as Jack cries, pulling at his hair to try and rip the mental pain away.

"MYSTRIE GET OUT OF HERE NOW! I WON'T HAVE YOU DIE BY MY HANDS!" Jack yells, there is so much emotional pain in his cry that Mysterie winces a little, reminded of a time in her past when she had once spoken similar words to another.

"Jakul get out now before I kill myself to get rid of you!" Jakul chuckles in his head.

"I doubt she'll let you do it."

"Really? Watch me." Jack winces in pain as more flashes of the past appear in his mind, causing him to shiver at the mental pain. Instead of doing what was expected, Mysterie merely watched what was happening before her, as if somehow not really seeing or hearing anything around her. Silent, she waits and watches Jack. Not moving, not making a single sound outside her soft breathing and the soft "thunk" now made by the trail of blood that is dripping to the floor from the cloak, though the wound has mostly stopped bleeding; what blood that has saturated the cloak makes a long streak down it from the wound itself to the bottom. She had heard it all before... but not from someone else... Not from someone she cared about so much and so it was a curiosity... To hear words she knew she'd spoken before herself. She doesn't back down, refuses to be the coward... having sent the Guardians off to regroup in a place that was unknown to Jakul. Jack creates an ice knife, but doesn't have the will to push it into his vein, to push it into him and kill him instantly. Instead he looks at Mysterie. It's gone too far... I can't do it... He stares at her blankly, all the while still trying his hardest to cut the being, but just the feeling of knowing the grief she would be put through keeps him from doing it.

"See! I told you that you wouldn't do it Frost!"

"You know what, you're right; everything you said is right. Yes, I'm afraid, yes I can't beat you and yes I don't want to be alone. All I did... my actions... was out of anger and realization of truths." Mysterie is still silent even as she feels Jakul is fading, faltering as Jack begins to speak of his "sins," his actions, all his mistakes one by one until finally he is able to expel Jakul and he is gone into the wind; screaming curses at Jack and that he'd be back when Jack least expected it. Jack looks up at her then, their eyes meeting and he smiles as he walks over to her and simply collapse into her.

"I'm sorry Mysterie, for all I have done." She simply catches him as he falls towards her, into her arms; the sand swords disappearing before they even hit the ground. She holds him close, closing her eyes.

"Didn't I tell you before that you don't need to apologize to me?" She murmured softly as she held him close, knowing that Jakul might be back someday... Just as Shadow might... that both each have their own demons, that they must face and accept what they have done... What has been done to them and in moving past it can control them rather than the other way around. It was a truth that was hard won for her.


	12. A Guardian's Guardian

Sandy was the first of the four to return, he still looked a bit scratched up from the ice clones that had attacked him; the others weren't far behind him and looked in slightly better shape than the Guardian of Dreams. There was a moment of silence before she explained what had happened after she had sent the four of them away to regroup. Jack, exhausted, simply passed out and Mysterie conjured a cloud of silver sand which she placed him on; one arm around him though to keep him from waking up as well as to ward off any unpleasant dreams. After a while, North beckons Mysterie to follow him out of the room; she glances down at Jack momentarily before deciding he will be okay on the cloud and follows the Guardian of Wonder out of the door while Tooth and Bunny seem to be in a debate about whose job is more stressful while Sandy floats over to Jack to keep the sleeping Guardian company. Once they are alone he turns to her.

"Mysterie, you have been more than help to Jack than anything, which is why I am asking if you would become Guardian." Mysterie had to admit, if only to herself, that she was surprised by the larger Guardian's words.

"More so, Jack's Guardian." She couldn't help the small smile that tugs at her lips.

"I don't know what sort of Guardian I'd make... I'm not even really sure what I am now... let alone a center, but... You don't need to ask me to guard Jack. I have been doing that since I set eyes on him." She gave him a rueful smile, it was the truth after all; strange as it sounded really, she had naturally seemed to become the young Guardian's guardian.

"I came to Burgess for a simple vacation... heh... never thought I'd find more than that. I don't know if I'm the right person to really help Jack, to protect him... but it's not going to stop me. It hasn't before and it won't ever. I love him and I never desert those I love, no matter the cost."

"No need worry about such things yet. You make fine Guardian, you prove that and Jack had faith even when we did not." The joy in the Guardian's eyes dimmed at that.

"We are all sorry about that. Did not believe Jack when we should have."

"It's understandable North, you and the others... you've been so out of touch with the world for so long that trusting doesn't come easy, especially when it's someone you really don't know much about. You guys trusted Jack with something small and when he messed up you all but ousted him out." North winced, not liking that not only was she reminding him of the disaster Easter had been only three years before, but the mistake that he and the others had made with Jack. Just one more example of a time they should have listened to what Jack had to say, but instead they had accused him of betrayal without hearing Jack's side of what had happened; they had all just assumed that Jack had bargained Baby Tooth away in exchange for his memories. They had assumed Jack was selfish, but Jack was anything but and hadn't he proved that when he had kept Jamie's belief alive by rekindling the child's belief in Bunny? They all knew better, they really did and yet it seemed they still needed more time to practice what they knew of Jack.

"I know a little bit more than most about your history with Jack because I've talked with Jamie about it and Jack shared everything about that week with him. You shouldn't feel too bad though about what happened with me. You didn't even know I existed until Jamie called you to face Shadow. Even Sandy didn't know about me and he and I have shared similar abilities for the past 16 years." North raised an eyebrow at that and she gave him a bit of a sheepish look. Even though she was kind of lying here; Sandy had known about her existence, just not about what she was really capable of, it was a secret between her and the dreamweaver.

"Okay, so sue me... I was 30 when I met Jack."

"What of family?"

"Only one who cares I haven't seen much of the last year or so. He'll bury himself in work most likely, my father was always good at that; as for everyone else..." She shrugged.

"I only got close to my half brother and one aunt. I never really could trust the rest of my flesh and blood with anything really; there are just some secrets you take to the grave... er... not sure that applies anymore to me." North just laughed at that.

"Can see why Jack likes you." Mysterie flushed a little in embarrassment, she actually hadn't figured out why Jack liked her; she glanced over with a slight smile as Sandy was using his own sand to push her sand cloud over to the infirmary to make sure that Jack hadn't been hurt. North smiled at her before heading towards his office to get back to work, quietly puzzling over why Manny had given this girl new life when others that they had known had fallen to death and were gone from this life; he wasn't the only one who wondered. Mysterie was watching with fascination as North worked on an ice sculpture for a new toy idea when Jack woke up some time later. He gasped in shock.

"Mysterie!" He shot out of the bed, flying and looking about wildly; fear shining in his eyes, fear that he had done something else after he had passed out. Bunny, who'd been helping shoo some elves away from a yeti, noticed the panicking winter spirit and hopped off to find North. He stuck his head in the office, concern written on his face.

"Oi! Mysterie! 'e's freaking out!" Jack, who had flown close enough to hear, flushed.

"W-what?! I am not you dang kangaroo!"

"Oi! Keep it down kangaroo, some of us are trying to have a decent conversation, ya?" She said, purposely mocking Bunny's accent just to get under his skin, grinning as the overgrown rabbit fumes.

"I do NOT sound like that!" He huffed as she walks out of the office. Jack's eyes go wide and he tackles her in a hug, not letting go; a lot like a small child clinging to its mother.

"Mysterie! I thought I lost it and killed you and myself!" He murmured, hugging her tighter as Bunny tries to pull Jack off her so she can at least breathe. She glares at the rabbit, however and he backs up, paws up in surrender as her arms wrap around Jack and she turns her attention from the Guardian of Hope to Jack.

"Actually... it was you that was almost lost." She said softly, her voice shaking slightly.

"I can deal with a few ice underlings... I think Jakul assumed I couldn't just because I seem to be a little like Sandy. I'm perfectly fine, as you can see." She didn't think anything was really wrong with Jack, especially considering what he'd just said. She winced a little though as she remembered a little too well something similar happening to her. Understanding Jack's feelings a little too well... It was then that she realized that it only made sense that she be Jack's guardian. She knew what this was like... understood the winter Guardian and related to him a lot more than any of the others did. She might not be an official Guardian, but she was Jack's guardian.

"All that matters is we're together and nothing will ever change that!" He nuzzled into her shirt much as a child would before letting her go and looking at the nearest clock. He realized he hadn't spread snow in Burgess and turned back to her.

"I'll be back!" She smiled as she watches him fly off. Bunny gave Jack a strange look as his fellow Guardian leaves all of the sudden.

"Oi... what's got him so riled up?"

"If you don't know by now then you weren't meant to Cottontail."

" 'ey now don't start! Bad enough I got to deal with him." She just smirked at the rabbit who grumbled under his breath and hopped away, leaving her to her own devices; for the time being she decided to go in search of a nice cup of coco.


	13. Living with the Dark

Jack flys about so quick that he looks like a blue white blur.

"Ugh, this is all my fault!" He muttered to himself, thinking about how embarrassing the morning had been and starts to hear tiny whispers. Great.

"Don't even try it Jakul, you're nothing now!" He chuckles at the faint response.

"Aww, come on you know you can't run forever. Like Mysterie said, she has Shadow to deal with you got me." Jack groaned, thanks to the unusual bond between them, Mysterie could sense that Jakul was stirring again and nearly let out a sigh. Though the worry that she feels slowly bloom in hear heart isn't so much about Jakul as just a general worry that comes with caring for someone; although she can sense how weak Jakul is as well and can't help but smile as she sips her hot coco... It will be a while before that one has the nerve to do much, let alone the strength. Just to make sure that he got the point, though, she directed her own thoughts of protecting Jack; projecting her presence in the bond that had seemed to form at the very beginning when she had taken the fateful walk in the woods around Jack's pond in search of a rumor... Jakul growls in response.

"You know it's inevitable MYSTERIE!"

"Ow! That hurts, will you shut up Jakul! I'm trying to do a snow day!" Jack forcefully pushed him back into the dark corner of his mind where he belonged, silently thanking Mysterie as he made it snow. He also made a few snow sculptures of her since people wouldn't know of her existence as a spirit. As soon as Jamie spots Jack he tackles the winter spirit in a hug.

"JACK! YOU'RE OK!" Jack chuckles.

"Hey kiddo! How's it been?" He smiles as he tells Jack about everything about school and his life in general, not skipping the funny antics he had that morning, how all of his hair was flopped to one said and how Abbey, his pet greyhound, ate the last pancake and Sophie doing a somersault. Mysterie was enjoying the book she was reading, but it wasn't just the book; she could sense Jack's joy and it made her happy, in return Jack could sense her happiness.

"Well Jamie, I gotta go back to North. It's important that I get a check out before I'm free to go wherever I want, Sandy gives the say-so." Jamie seemed a little sad at that, but he still waved goodbye to his friend as the wind took him away and back to the North Pole. In truth, all Jack could think about was something he'd found unraveled when he'd gotten out of the mess the night before; something he hadn't thought about in a god long while and that he kept thinking about doing for some reason. He put on a mask of false happiness when he got to the pole, trying to think of something else to keep Mysterie from worrying as he hunted the workshop for her. He almost chuckled when he found her curled up in one of North's favorite chairs in the library, sipping hot cocoa with a plate of untouched cookies nearby; though he understood too well why she hadn't touched them. Jack settled into a nearby chair, picking at a thread on his hoodie. She looks up from her book, wondering about that tiny bit of worry that had momentarily flickered through Jack earlier but since it had been so brief she had decided to let it slide. Things were good, for now at least. Putting the book down, she turned to look at Jack, though at this range what he was feeling was like a physical nudge whereas at a distance the feelings were only vague.

Jack sips some hot cocoa that he'd been given by an elf, he'd picked up a book on a reason not to kill yourself in battle in an attempt to distract his mind. It wasn't working though as the urge begins to rise in him again.

"GAH!" He sets the book down, yanking at his hair to try and make it go away; with the urge, Jakul also seems to get a little stronger, which makes Mysterie begin to wonder.

"Um, hey Mysterie... I'll be back a minute." He says and hastily leaves the library, leaving her to wonder why Jack would have picked up such a book. The odd urge that Jack is fighting gets a little stronger and she decides it's a better idea to follow Jack instead of leaving him be. Before Jack can wonder about anything, she grabs the top of his hoodie when he turns about and yanks the two of them into a nearby room out of sight and presses her lips to his in a heated kiss. Jack's eyes widen slightly before closing in bliss; at this range it's not hard to pick out Jack's guilt and his wish to end himself right then due to Jakul's poisoning of both his body and mind. Jack pulls away after a moment.

"Mysterie, I love you and I'm sorry if I've been trouble." Jack looked down at the floor, not wanting to meet her eyes and Jakul chuckled in his mind, feeling stronger than he did an hour before. Mysterie gently lifted his head so that their eyes met.

"Stop feeling guilty with me. Jakul is to you, what Shadow is to me. The only difference is I've been dealing with her a lot longer than you have been dealing with him. Besides... I think a little distraction won't hurt either of us." She smiled, a bit of a mischievous glint in her eyes and before Jack can react she captured his lips again in a slower kiss; wrapping her arms around him and drawing Jack against her and further into the "shadows" that are offered by the semi-dark closet that she'd yanked them into. Jack blushed furiously, not used to this sort of contact whatsoever. When they pulled back a moment to breathe, Jack whispered in a rush.

"What if North catches us or even worse... Bunny!" Jack would have said more but is silenced by her lips and he wrapped his arms around her, even being so bold as to slip his tongue along her lips and dart into her mouth a little when her lips parted before they both parted for air; more out of habit than actual need. Jack's cheeks are a violet when they part.

"Why don't we just take our little distraction home then? No worries then." She replied, her cheeks flushed a little, but her mind is too drunk on the bliss of the kiss to care.

"O-ok." Jack replied, blushing even more furiously as he picked her up bridal style and flew out of the workshop to the ice created cavern that both called home. Still not use to this contact, Jack begins to feel scared and Mysterie realizes that he's never done something like this in his life or even in his human life when he dropped from the air over the ice bed, she lands on top of him.

"Oops." He said, chuckling a little as he realizes the position they were both in. She chuckles softly even as she dips her head to capture his lips again. Jack can't help but gulp a little, thinking that maybe things were going a little fast, but he wasn't sure about that yet as he returns the gentle kiss even as one hand gently rubs along the curve of her back. Come on Jack, you need this... she wants this and so do you. Came a familiar voice but a second responded to the first. No I don't, not yet.

Mysterie senses his hesitation, she understand a little too well as her own uncertainty mirrors his. Despite her human age, she hadn't done anything like this either and so she didn't push anything. She didn't want to scare Jack, even though she knew a good deal about this sort of thing she was just as unnerved as he was. When they break for breath again, she murmurs.

"Would you believe me if I told you that you were my first kiss?" Jack's eyes widen as he realizes the uncertainty he's feeling is not just his own. He hugs her close, close enough that she can hear his heart beating rather quickly even as one of his hands plays with her hair; he could smell the soft, wintery pine scent that was her and he felt a burning sensation in his gut but didn't know what it was exactly until it knocked at her leg and Jack flushed so hard that he swore his face was losing oxygen. Mysterie doesn't say anything as she flushes just as dark of a shade knowing what it was as well. She had read books when she'd been alive after all... Jack growls in frustration when he hears Jakul again. He gently pushes her away, anguish and anger at Jakul flashing across his face even as Mysterie's gaze flickers down instinctively and notices the bulge... though she swears she flushes a deeper shade for the reflex action even as Jack pulls himself from the bed and heads to the bathroom. He slams the door so hard that a picture falls from the nearby wall and shatters like glass. Mysterie sighed a little, but not in disappointment; it was in anger at the interference and yet she understood too well that it couldn't be helped. Jack growled at Jakul's image in the mirror, wanting to wipe the smug smile off his face.

"STOP SCREWING WITH MY LIFE JAKUL! GO AWAY NOW!" He snickered, knowing she could hear the two of them and that she knew pretty soon Jack might lose control.

"How about no and no." He laughed as Jack tore at his hair in frustration, accidentally smashing a vase when he kicked at the door. Mysterie wondered if the whole thing was getting out of hand, but at the same time knew that it was something that Jack needed to deal with on his own just as she had to deal with Shadow on her own.

"Please, just... just go away." Jack felt tears slip from his eyes and Mysterie can hear Jakul's chuckle as he seems to float invisibly next to her.

"How do ou think Jackie's fairing? He'll soon be in my grasp Mysterie and you know it's inevitable as well as Shadow is to you."

"You know what I think on that score Jakul and where you can shove it." She replies calmly. Jack slammed his head on the wall.

"Go away, go away, go away!" Jack pauses after a moment as he realizes he's forgotten something before the reason for coming into the bathroom.

"Oh." He flushed a little as he realized what it was and got rid of his problem below since he knew the mood had been completely ruined thanks to Jakul.


	14. Otter Distraction

When Jack opens the door again he's blushing, he smiles; putting up a facade like he wasn't bothered at all.

"Hey Mysterie." He says as he moves over to the edge of the bed, where she's sitting now; without hesitation he kissed her deeply and passionately, gently rubbing his hand along the curve of her back before sliding his hand down slowly, causing a shiver of pleasure to go through her. Jakul growls at her in anger and shuts up for a while. Jack can't help but smile at the sweet silence for once. She was surprised at the kiss, but hadn't hesitated to return it, flushing a little as she'd wrapped her arms around Jack; she'd been waiting patiently, off in thought, though what she'd been thinking about she wasn't sure anymore. Jack began to grow a little nervous again despite his boldness, slowly slipping his hand beneath her shirt to slide along the skin of her stomach, still not sure if he should do anything yet as he was still scared. She didn't move though, beyond returning his kisses; content to allow him to move only to what he felt comfortable with. Patience was a virtue she had in spades and she'd read enough books to know that this was something that was worth the wait and so she could wait; she would let him lead despite the desire she felt rising through her, she shoved it away for the moment. He slowly lifted her shirt off, wincing a little as the feeling returned - the urge - but he held back as he slipped the shirt off, exposing the white bra and smooth skin beneath. She simply watched him, her eyes on his even as a soft, reassuring smile touched her lips. Hands shaking, he unclipped the bra, his pants growing a little too tight for comfort as he did. He keens a little at the tightness he feels his pants grow tighter when the bra comes off. She flushed a dark shade and reached out with one hand to rest it on his cheek before drawing him into a gentle kiss. Jack draws back from the kiss as he's distracted from soft sounds from the other bedroom.

"Mysterie, I'll be right back." He walks out to the next room.

"Shhh." She wonders at the sushing sound and wonders even more at the next words.

"Shhh, Percy! Quiet or else I'll get in trouble." He looks at a bundle in a basket that he'd made his pet, quieting the bundle of fur before he is able to return to the room.

"Okay, I'll be back later." He heads back to the room again, looking nervous. She tilted her head slightly, a look of curiosity crossing her features and Jack sighs in defeat as he moves over to her and takes one of her hands, gently leading her to the other bedroom where he picks up a small blue blanket when it starts to move. The blanket falls off of his head showing an adorable sea otter cub. It looks up at her and makes the adorable noises that any baby sea otter would.

"This is Percy, I found him abandoned at a lake in Cuba. His mama was captured by hunters so I took him in. Funny thing is he is super used to the cold and I don't think he is just a normal otter." Percy turns his head from Jack, who'd picked him up, to Mysterie and nuzzles his head against her, wanting her to hold him. Jack handed him over to her. She smiled a little as she held him against her skin.

"He is colder than normal... Not sure if that means anything. I don't really know too much about animals." She said, looking down at the furry otter that was big enough that she had to hold him with two hands. The little otter nuzzled against her skin like she was his mother.

"Yeah, Percy is really young though." She nodded a little as she tried to remember if she knew anything about otters.

"Yeah, but he looks old enough to at least be eating fish... If I'm not off my mark here." She said thoughtfully, studying the little otter.

Jack patted Percy's head.

Thing is, he'll eat anything but fish. I tried cod, salmon, crab... which I broke the shell since he is so little, lobster, all the above and he won't eat it. He'll eat a burger and other human food, but that's it." Percy nipped at his fingers, looking for food that Jack usually brought him.

"Hmmmm, that is strange."

"Alright, fine." He said to the otter before looking up at Mysterie.

"Will you hold him for me?" She nodded and he went to the kitsch, preparing Percy's favorite meal and she began to wonder how long Jack had been hiding this little guy. After a moment's thought she carried him to the bedroom and set him on the bed to pick up her shirt and slide into it, scooping the little otter up again before he can do more than run to the edge. Not wanting him to hurt himself, she set him on the floor and he headed off as she walked out of the room, growling a little as he walked next to her; his tail swishing from side to side as if he were swimming instead of walking. Jack was in the kitchen, trying to cook what appeared to be a turkey burger in oil in a frying pan; he finished and washed his hands before setting two burgers and fries for the two of us and the turkey burger for Percy. He turned when they both entered the room.

"Oi Percy! You're here just in time, I got your favorite. He picked up the little otter and set him on a chair that had been stacked with books so Percy could eat. He devoured the food just like any other otter would devour fish. The two of them settle down to eat with the little otter, when they're done Jack shifts a little closer to her, one hand straying to play with her hair before giving her a quick peck before going back to the bedroom to relax and try and be rid of the aching headache from Jakul. Mysterie knew about the headache, but couldn't help the feeling of delight that always came with the sensation of Jack's fingers playing with her hair and she returns the quick kiss. She then followed him into the room to simply settle down next to him and relax; various thoughts circling in her head.

"How long have you had Percy? and why the name Percy?" Instead of answering, Jack wraps his arms around her, pulling her close and nipping at her neck playfully; chuckling at her shiver, but before he can go any further Percy jumps onto the bed, landing on Jack's balls and causing him to cover his mouth to keep from screaming as Percy wags his tail at Jack, thinking that he's being funny and then looking at Mysterie in confusion.


	15. What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger

Mysterie picks up the little otter from Jack's lap, gently chiding the creature.

"Now, now. None of that. You stay off unless we want you on top of us." She set the otter aside before shifting on the bed to wrap her arms around Jack once more and pull him close. Jack sighs in contentment as her contact lessons the pain; he begins humming a tune, she didn't even know he could sing and the melodic sound delights her. Percy tilts his head at his adoptive parents before nipping at Jack's foot.

"H-hey! That tickles!" Jack glances out the nearest window.

"SHIT!" He gasped as he jumped off the bed suddenly.

"I got to go, Guardians meeting, won't be back until near six. Perseus, behave!" He floats towards the window before realizing he forgot something and quickly rushes over to Mysterie to kiss her fully, stealing her breath away even as she returns the kiss.

"Bye sweetheart." He slaps the side of his own head at the nickname. Why me? He wonders before taking off. She watches him go, once he's out of sight she turns her attention to the little otter. Percy gave her a mischievous smile, a lot like Jack and she couldn't help thinking that he's already a mischief maker just like his adoptive father... She chuckled a little at the challenge the otter seemed to be presenting to her.

"I bet I know how to handle you..." She made a ball of silver sand with a little bell inside and rolled it across the bed towards the little otter to see if it would play. Instead, he tilted his little head and began to cry for Jack, who had forgot to mention that the little otter got sad when he leaves. His attention momentarily went to the ball, but he only swatted it away and went off in search of Jack. Thoughtful, she picked up the little otter so he wouldn't leave the room.

"I know you miss him, I do too, but he'll be back little one. He always comes back." She murmured quietly, trying to soothe him. He nuzzled close to her, much like a baby would. Meanwhile, at the North Pole, Jack was standing with North in a room of toys.

"Jack, we need to talk." Jack couldn't help but gulp, pretty sure he already knew what the talk was going to be about as he followed North from the room; his anxiety quickly turned to anger when Jakul spoke up.

"Try and fight me all you want, no amount of fun with your girlfriend and baby sea otters is gonna save you now." Jack's eyes turned a bright nova blue.

"Go away Jakul." North was a little concerned after hearing the comment as he hadn't seen the other since the Guardians had fought with him.

"It's nothing North, just what did you want to talk to me about?" Jack asked when he saw North's concerned look, but instead of answering, North tapped a small ornament device that he'd recently given to all of the Guardians as a form of communication outside of using the Northern Lights to summon them all.

"Hey, Mysterie, how long as Jack been talking to thin air?" He whispered as Jack turned to punch Jakul, but to North it seemed as if the younger Guardian was fighting with the air around him. She was hugging the little otter to her, pushing away her own thoughts on Jakul's reappearance when she heard the tiny comm go off and flipped open the round device only to hear North's whispered question.

"Alright, boy's scaring me now. Think talk can wait. I'm sending him back, please find out what's going on in little head of his." She didn't seem to react to what the Guardian of Wonder said.

"North, I think you should be more worried about your lack of faith in Jack than what he's up to." Her tone implying that she was all too aware of what was going on and she cut the communication in disgust. Knowing that this was just another phase for Jack to deal with... not having a physical form seen by others... Jakul was weaker; not that the either would ever admit it or show any signs of it. North sighed, knowing that she was right and that the Guardians didn't have much faith in Jack as they probably should have. Jack turned to North, completely ignoring his floating twin now.

"Alright North, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Nor looked like he was off in his own little world for a moment before replying.

"Oh, I was wondering why haven't you been out in world spreading winter." Jack glanced down with a guilty frown.

"I can't North." His voice is so quiet that even Bunny would have had a hard time hearing it. North hugs the winter spirit close, wanting to express that he cared for him like a son and knew that he should be doing better by the boy than he had been.

"North, p-please l-let g-go." Jack felt tears falling onto the floor.

"I think I should go." Jack tried to leave, but North hadn't let go.

"I SAID LET GO!" Wind lashes at the windows of the workshop sudden, the air even travels back to the ice cavern, making it colder and the wind scares Percy, causing the little otter to huddle closer against Mysterie, burying his head beneath her arm from the angry lashing wind outside. Leaving her to wonder at the sudden spike of anger she felt from Jack.

"I just want to help Jack. We'll always be here for you and whatevers wrong we'll do anything to help." That seemed to flick a switch in Jack as North finally let go.

"HELP?! LIKE WHEN YOU WENT TO HELP MYSTRIE!" He yelled, floating high off the ground, his eyes looking down on the Guardian of Wonder.

"NO! NORT YOU'RE NOT HELPING! YOU TRIED TO KILL HER EVEN WHEN I SAID I COULD HELP HER!" Jack cried, he hadn't forgotten nor forgiven the other Guardians for that misstep, and he wasn't likely to anytime soon. He shook his head.

"Goodbye North." The other Guardian didn't get a chance to respond before Jack was out a nearby window, the wind pulling him high into the sky. He lets go of his staff and gently plummets into a snowdrift. He lay there for what seemed like hours, ignoring any winds that wrapped around him, trying to whisper reassurances. All Jack did was close his eyes and sink into darkness.

Looking at the frightened otter, Mysterie began humming a song that sudden came to mind after a moment; a slight flush came to her cheeks as she hadn't done such a thing in a while because she'd never found anyone who appreciated her voice even though she'd always thought she was a decent singer.

"Little one... shall I sing to you?" Percy pulled his head out from under her arm and looked up at her, wagging his tail as if to say 'yes, I love your voice, keep singing.' She smiles at him.

"Alright..." She then begins to sing the song she'd been humming before.

_I still hear your voice when you sleep next to me_

_I still feel your touch in my dreams_

_Forgive me my weakness, I don't know why_

_Without you it's hard to survive..._

She gentle rocks the otter as she sings, unaware that the wind has carried her song back to Jack and he smiles as he wakens to it and sees the moon shining brightly down at him.

"Alright, I get it." Jack flies back to the cavern and set his staff against a wall, smiling as he hears Mysterie singing to Percy and decides to make dinner. After washing his face in the bathroom he looks to see that Jakul isn't in the mirror and smirks, turning to see that there isn't anything at his side either. He smiles as he goes to the kitchen to chop up some onions for the evening meal. He was almost finished when he accidentally cut his finger.

"Ah!" He hissed in pain as the blood drips onto the cutting board, grabbing a towel he stops the bleeding by putting pressure on the small wound. He cleans the board after he takes care of the wound and then hums a tune that sounded a lot like the song "Shatter Me" as he starts to cook some chicken, adding seasoning and preparing a soup that he had known how to make before he had become Jack Frost, winter spirit. He didn't realize he was doing a lot of things he didn't mean to do, things he remembered from his human life. As he started to cook the soup, however, he had to cover his hears as he heard his sister's voice calling his name. He let out a grunt of pain as memories suddenly bombard his mind before suddenly stopping when all he hears is the sizzling of meat that was burning.

"SHIT!" He put out the fire with some nearby water, realizing that some of the frost on his hoodie had melted somewhat. He turned off the oven and went into the other room to cool down again, ignoring the pounding headache; he held his head in his hands as the throbbing got worse. Percy, on the other hand, made soft noises like singing that actually sounded surprisingly good, as if he were singing along with Mysterie even as he started to fall asleep in her arms. More flashes of Jack's past came through.

"UGH!" He panted as he stumbled to the bed, breathing heavily as the memories faded like before but the throbbing headache is worse than before and before he can reach the bed he collapsed into unconsciousness.

Mysterie continued singing, happy that the otter was enjoying her singing and falling asleep as well.

_'Cause every time we touch I get this feeling_

_And every time we kiss I swear I could fly_

_Can't you feel my heart beat fast?_

_I want this to last, need you by my side_

Once the otter was asleep she set him down on the bed and quietly shut the door most of the way, careful not to wake it. Alert now to Jack's condition, it had flared up just as she'd began to sing the last few words. Once the door was closed mostly she closed her eyes and tried to pinpoint Jack's location; letting the feeling guid her to him as fast as possible. The sand she summoned acted like her eyes, ensuring she didn't stumble over anything.


	16. Oops

"Restless, aren't we Jack?" His eyes opened to darkness.

"Jakul, where the hell are you? Come out so I can beat you!" Hearing Jakul's chuckle made shivers go up his spine though in reality his body was stiff and thrashing as all of the sudden many voices attack him; Mysterie's, Bunny's, North's, Tooth's and many angry whispers from his pas as well as his sister screaming for Jack to save her.

"STOP! STOP!" Jack collapsed in the darkness that was his subconscious.

"Shut up all of you! I know my mistakes now, stop it!" He looked around, seeing his memories as if he were re-living them, hearing every noise, seeing everything in sharp deal; all of it his life before he'd become the winter spirit, Jack Frost. He doesn't notice that his silver white hair is brown or that his skin is a shade pinker than its normal pale. Mysterie found Jack unconscious and couldn't help but let out a worried sigh, but there is some relief in it too; if only the relief being that you seemed currently unharmed. She summons more sand to help lift Jack into her arms and carries him to the bedroom so that neither disturb the sleeping baby otter. She presses a gentle kiss to his forehead, whispering softly.

"I'm here... I will always be here for you Jack." The soft words reach Jack and the whispers that had been plaguing him die down, the memories returning to the back of his mind where he had put them. Jakul growls in frustration but knows he's too weak to get at Jack now. Free from the onslaught, Jack opens his eyes to see emerald green ones looking back at him. He put a comforting, if shaky, hand to the side of your face.

"H-hey. I made dinner. It's probably cold now but I can make something else if you like." He hugged her close, his body trembling slightly. She smiled.

"Hey, guess I should get some then. I'll bring some to you too." She hugged him close though, not moving as she felt him trembling though it was very slight.

"No, I'm fine." He started to get up, feeling pain shooting through him mentally and physically; he hissed between his teeth as he tried in vain not to show pain as he forced himself to sit up. Mysterie chuckled a little, knowing too well how stubborn Jack could be about such things.

"Don't be stubborn. Besides, I'm not confining you to the bed, I just think it won't hurt to spoil you a little." She winked and smiled as she gently kept a hand on his chest to keep him on the bed. She knew he wasn't up for moving about, but he was better than he might have been had Jakul been stronger. Jack blushed a little.

"Well, ok." He began to think of other things that was going on with him in his mind when his body had change to human again in his subconscious. She smiles and leave the room to fetch them both a helping of the dinner he'd started. She balances the plates carefully so not to disturb the soup in the bowls that are on the plates next to the chicken she'd salvaged. He thinks about what it would be like to be human again, but he doesn't have long as his eyes unfocus suddenly. Not again... A flash of faces goes by and after it disappears Jack is panting and trembling harshly.

"Mysterie." He breathes out. Looking around, Jack rubbed out the wrinkles on the bed sheet, a sigh escaping.

"What is wrong with me? Why do I keep seeing them?" In the other room, Percy wakes up makes his way to the room where Jack is, hopping on the bed, but not without stepping on something vital below the waist, causing Jack to squeak in pain.

"Percy, why must you step there?" The otter looks at Jack and made a noise that is a mix between a bark and a whine. Jack pets his head, his fur softer than anything he'd ever felt before; his face flushing as he recalls something else he'd felt that was just as soft and stretches, popping a few back bones. The sound carries to the kitchen and makes Mysterie wince a little, hoping that it didn't hurt like it sounded that it should have as she walked into the room.

"Hey Percy, didn't expect you to be up so soon." She smiles at the little otter, shifting to sit next to Jack on the bed; carefully handing Jack a plate, the utensils sitting not he plate next to the chicken. Jack picked up the spoon and dipped it into the soup, he couldn't help but be impressed a few minutes later in how she'd salvaged what had been a mess of dinner before.

"You're a great cook Myst." He took several more bites before finishing. She chuckled around the last of her meal.

"Me? You started it sweetheart, I just finished." When she had mostly finished, Jack spoke up again.

"Hey Mysterie... um... about those episodes... I've been seeing a lot of my memories." He takes a shaky breath.

"Memories of my family before the pond incident." She looks at him, thoughtful a moment.

"I guess I'm not surprised. I mean, I'm lucky that I didn't lose my memories like you did... it's only natural that after you regained part of yours that others would start coming back too." He laughs, amused, and she can't help but smile at the sound of his laughter.

"I didn't expect my memories to come all at once and it hurts like hell!" He sighs as another comes through and his head throbs in pain again; he huffs as Percy licks his hand before looking at her with a smile.

"Well, I don't think anyone expected them to come back in a flood... but the mind is a funny thing. I'm not surprised that it hurts. Memories, suppressed for any reason, would hurt."

"But it's all in the past and I love how my life is with you." She shook her head a little but couldn't help returning his smile as she cuts off a small piece of her chicken and offers it to Percy to see if the little one would like a bite from what's left of her meal; flushing a little with pleasure from Jack's words.

"I'm glad I can make you happy." Percy took the meat off the fork and ran off, his little legs moving as fast as they could carry him. Jack watched him go before shifting to look at her green eyes and felt himself mesmerized by the color when their gaze met; leaning in, he took her lips with his and wrapped his arms around her, loving the warm feeling that bloomed inside of him. He depend the kiss, exploring slowly with his tongue as he rubbed her back.

She chuckled as the otter runs off, though the sound died quickly as her breath was stolen from her the moment Jack's lips met hers. She slid her arms around him, the sand she unconsciously summoned dealt with their empty plates; moving away from the two of them. It was the only subconscious, logical thought in her head at the moment; though the sand nearly dropped the plates it was moving over to the corner of the room when Jack deepened the kiss. Jack didn't hesitate this time, one hand sliding under her shirt to caress the smooth skin beneath; his tongue exploring the warmth her mouth had to offer, one he found more than just delightful and couldn't help but moan into the kiss. She sighed into the blissfulness of the kiss, unable to help the shiver that went through her at the feel of his fingers along her skin; too focused on the kiss to really notice the blush that crept into her cheeks. He slid his hand a little lower and onto her thigh, smirking a little into the kiss at the feel of her shiver as he pulls back to nibble at her ear, leaning against her until they were both flat on the bed; a soft gasp escapes past her lips and she pressed closer to him, holding him closer as she shivers again with pleasure. One had slid along the back of the blue hoodie as her blush darkened a little. He chuckled.

000000000

"T-that w-was goooood." He says between breaths, not realizing that Baby Tooth had come over to visit and he glances over to the window near the bed on impulse to see her in the window, wide eyes like that of a child who shouldn't have seen it. He quickly removed himself from Mysterie and covered their bodies with the blanket, blushing so hard that he looked like a blueberry. He kissed Mysterie before speaking up.

"Um, I'm gonna take a shower." He hoped they didn't just scar Baby Tooth for the rest of her immortal life. Percy comes into the room and looks at the two, wondering what had happened while he was gnawing on his chicken. Mysterie glanced over to the window and flushed when she realized that they'd had an unintended audience.

"Alright... I hope she didn't see too much... At least we don't have to worry about Percy." She moved carefully to grab her clothes and dressed quickly beneath the covers before going over to the window to talk to Baby Tooth, blocking her view of Jack so that he can make his way to the bathroom without further embarrassment. She opens the window and holds out her hand to Baby Tooth, offering her a place to rest before bringing her inside. She stares up at Mysterie with wide eyes; she just smiles at the little fairy, trying not to sigh as she realizes she had a lot of explaining to do as she carried her out of the bedroom, keeping the fairy close to keep her from seeing anything as she headed to the living room, though its hard to hide the blush on her cheeks.


	17. Dreams and Memories

Once in the shower, the water hits his skin instantly cooling him and he swore he almost melted into the moment. He smiled, blushing deeply at his own thoughts. _God you're so beautiful._ He washed away the "extra" bodily fluids as well as the heat of sex, feeling a sense of guilty pleasure as he dries himself off before putting some extra clothes on he'd gotten more than over a year before. He slipped his hoodie and pants into the washing machine and a contented sigh escaped him.

"Oh boy... how am I gonna explain to Jamie where I've been all this time?" He asks himself, after a moment of thought he decides to tell the boy it was Guardian duties and smiles a little, unable to keep from laughing at the fact that Baby Tooth was their audience during their intimate time, but decides that next time he'd frost over the window and lock it. He was tired, but he removed the solid sheets and put on new ones as well as a new blanket as he decided he'd wash them in the morning. He collapsed on the bed then. Mysterie, meanwhile, curled up in a chair having carefully explained the concept to Baby Tooth who seemed to only slightly understand.

"So, do you want to tell me now what brings you here?" Even as she asked it, she made a mental note to have Jack make them some opaque curtains for the bedroom to keep a repeat from happening to anyone; secretly relieved that it happened to be Baby Tooth and not one of the Guardians that had happened upon the window at the time that she had. The little fairy explains she just wanted to make sure that Jack was okay, the others being worried about him and after inquiring after the others for a brief time she let Baby Tooth out a window in the living room and the fairy zipped away to take her news, minus what she'd seen, back to the other Guardians. Mysterie tried her best to listen to her guest, so not to upset her, but it was hard to listen when memories of what she and Jack had been up to moments before kept flashing in her mind. She returned to the bedroom once the fairy was gone and saw Jack on the bed, she couldn't help the small smile as she slid in next to him; only partly awake, he slid his arms around her before falling asleep with a content smile on his face. Jakul snickered into his mind, the last thing that he'd hear before falling into blissful sleep.

"I knew you had it in ya." When he awoke the next morning with a headache like never before. Grunting in slight pain, he pulled himself from the bed and headed to the bathroom. His reflection shows that his skin is paler than normal, his hair is a mess and he had dark circles beneath blood shot eyes. _What happened last night? ... Oh, right..._ He thought as he remembered that he'd awoken sometime after Mysterie had fallen asleep and hadn't been able to sleep as his memories had plagued him. He started to cry a little as he sighed, life sucked but he had to admit that it didn't so much now that he had a family. He rubbed his temples before he searched the mirror cabinet for some aspirin for the headache. When he walks back into the bedroom he stops to look at Mysterie who hasn't stirred yet, thinking about how gorgeous she was. She yawned, shifting a little; reluctant to get out of bed, which is still warm to her even after Jack had gotten up. After a moment Jack yawned and walked like a dead man to the kitchen.

"Let's see... what to make for breakfast?" He murmured to himself, grabbing milk, eggs, pancake batter and butter. He set them on the counter.

"Why won't the pain just go away!" He held his head in his hands in a vain attempt to make the memory floods stop.

"Maybe a snow day will fix my mood and make it stop for a little while." He considered as he pushed away the pain to make breakfast, making bunny pancakes with a smile. He left a note for Mysterie, telling her he'd be back in a while, that he just needed to clear his head and flew out of the nearest window and to Moscow.

Mysterie yawned again and after conceding that she wouldn't get anymore sleep she slipped from the bed. She headed into the kitchen to get something to drink and saw the breakfast and note that awaited her. She smiled, directing feelings of love to Jack as she settled in to eat it. At that time, Jack was in Moscow, springing snow over some young children who started an all-out snowball war, making him smile at their happiness. It doesn't last as no more than a few seconds' pain lances through him.

"Darn it!" A small boy looks up at him.

"Are you okay Jack?" Jack looked down, happy to see another believer and he nodded.

"I'm fine. See you later Erik." The the children watch as he shakily makes his way back into the sky, shuddering in numbing agony as he returns to the ice house. He collapses on the couch, trying to stifle whimpers of pain while Jakul taunts him in the back of his mind. _Maybe a quick nap will help... no, sleeping means dreaming and dreaming means nightmares which means memories..._

"GOD THIS SUCKS!" He growled in frustration, fighting the urge to sleep as he gets up off the couch and goes to see how Mysterie was, she was in the other room flipping through a book as if looking for something when he came in, but she set it down when he came in.

"Hey, how are you Myst?"

"Better than you at this point I'd say." She seems thoughtful and gets up, taking one of his hands into hers; pulling him back to the living room and the couch and gently tugging him down with her.

"Why not rest while I'm awake? I'll see if I can't do something to help; I should have thought about this before, but I guess I was a bit distracted." He smiled and kisses her before relaxing on the couch.

"Okay... w-wait Mysterie, I can't go back to sleep. I don't want to have those memories again. I don't." He fought off the feeling of sleepiness, pain is all he feels at the moment as he clenches his hair, trying to get the memories to stop. She gently tugs at him so his head is in her lap, one hand lightly threading through his hair as she murmurs soothingly.

"Trust me love, I can help. I can't change the memories, but I can help you sleep better." Jack slowly lost himself to sleep, sighing in contentment from her touch and eventually he's out like a light, his body fully relaxed. She smiled a little as she continued to lightly thread her fingers through his hair; weaving silver sand around him to ease him into a comfortable dream as he slept but almost immediately the memories flared up to harshly struggle against the power of the dream sand, not wanting to be silenced and Jack winced in pain as his hands fisted up tightly; there is a pop sound in the air at how tightly he held them. The sand didn't fight the memories so much as weeded them out for the moment, like herding cattle; slipping in the best of memories and pushing back those that aren't so good.

Bad memories fight harshly, angrily; no longer wanting to be put in a dark corner as Jack fights them. He whimpers slightly and rolls to his side.

"S-stop, it h-hurts..." It's all he could muster in the pain. She narrows her eyes in concentration, though she is unable to alter memories she forces the worst of them to back down, the sand beginning to glitter a little like gems as her power seeps into it. She closed her eyes, slipping into the plane of dreams to better corral them despite their insistence. The most prominent of the memories was from earlier in the week when Jack had willingly fallen into darkness and accept it. It wouldn't go away because of the guilt in his heart, forcing it to replay along with others in his life; such as his death along with battles with Pitch, he feels like his brain is being fried.

"P-please go away..." Mysterie feels Jakul's influence making the memories stronger to torment Jack until he snaps. Sensing the other's presence, Shadow seems to emerge as if to help him; but only cries out as she's forced to shove Jakul's influence back, burying his presence in a pile of gold sand while Mysterie deals with the memories of Pitch and the memory of the time when Jack had accepted the darkness in a way that wasn't meant to be instead of fighting it. One by one the dark memories fade and Jack's body completely relaxes again, so limp now that the only way to know he was still alive was his heavy breathing and the heaving of his chest; soon he fell into a good sleep.

"Damn you Mysterie. Next time I won't let you help him." Jakul spat at her. Jack cuddled close to her like she was a teddy bear and he was a small child, happy with no nightmares. Mysterie scowled at him, angry that he would dare defy her and hurt Jack.

"Let me? Don't make me laugh. You can't stop me and you know it. As long as I'm around you won't be able to do anything." _Famous last words..._ She couldn't help thinking, hadn't she heard those words once in a popular movie series? She pushed the thought away as she withdrew from the plane of dreams only when she was satisfied that Jakul was shoved back into his little hole. Mysterie held Jack close with a soft smile, quietly murmuring.

"I won't let him take you so easily." _As long as I'm around I will make sure he stays in that dark hole... You can't have him Jakul, not so long as I'm around..._ The thought was both comforting and at the same time, not; because she knew that there may come a time when her own "demon" would raise her head and Mysterie would lose her own battle again. For now, Shadow was under her control and the other was going to have to work harder than Jakul to take her down, but that didn't mean that she was invulnerable. It was only a matter of time.. something that Jakul might know, and something that Shadow did know for certain.


	18. Impurity

Jack woke up from a long needed nap, he looked up to see that Mysterie was holding him and he kissed her on the cheek before stretching his arms out, hearing a satisfying pop as he did. She smiled as he stretched.

"Good morning Mysterie." Percy decided to join them just then, walking in and jumping up onto her lap and snuggling closer to her chest. Jack looked at the nearest clock, it wasn't late, but he felt it was high time he got to work.

"Good morning."

"I'll see you later Mysterie." He said, leaving before she could say anything. As he flies high into the air, he whoops with joy at how free he feels. Like a great weight's been lifted. No more Jakul, no more memory floods to feel, no more pain! He leaves fresh white snow around everywhere that he goes. With Jack gone, Mysterie pats Percy's head, holding the otter close; murmuring softly to him as something twists inside her and she has to shove it down quickly.

"It's a tough life Percy... So hard to... Just do what needs to be done sometimes..." She hugged the little otter, curling up on the couch; trembling from the emotional woulds that had been ignored as she'd dealt with Jakul and his influence. It hurt her greatly, always, seeing Jack in pain like that. As much as she tried to suppress the feelings, knowing that she did succeed in helping him, there was always that dark whisper in the back of her mind that is Shadow.

In another part of Burgess, Jack was laughing as Jamie had managed to finally nail him with a snowball.

"Whoa! You're getting pretty good kiddo! Pretty soon I'll be the one hiding behind the fort!" Jamie beamed, his smile showing a space from a second sledding accident; this one hadn't been Jack's fault.

"Hey, see you guys tomorrow!" Jack said as the snowball war died down; the children waved by and Jamie hugged Jack before he could leave.

"Thanks Jack, for everything." Jack smiled.

"Anything for you kiddo." He replied and ruffled the boy's hair before the wind wrapped around him and took him back to the cavern he called home.

"I"m back Mysterie! I brought some ice cream, not sure what flavor you wanted so I got all of them." Man, Tooth's gonna murder me...

"After we're done eating I was thinking we could watch the Inuyasha collection Jamie got me." Mysterie chuckled a little, knowing that Tooth would go nuts if she ever found out about this. Though what did she care? Immortals weren't subject to the same things that mortals were. She happily grabs some ice cream, the frozen treat lifting he mood and quieting most of Shadow's whispers. Jack sat on the edge of the couch, licking at a vanilla ice cream cone; he looks at Mysterie with a look that clearly said 'alright, what's wrong? better tell me or else...' Mysterie had never seen that sort of expression on Jack before and despite what she was feeling she couldn't help but almost grin at it just because it looked so strange on him.

"Mysterie, is something bothering you?" He shifted to get closer to her and she smiled a little, but doesn't even attempt to lie; reminded that the bond they share is a two way street, meaning that he could feel what she did just as she had gotten accustomed to feeling what he did.

"It's really just a bit of stress. I'll be alright soon, like you I sometimes get bothered by her whispers... I just usually have an easier time ignoring her than you do him. Though that just comes with experience."

"Lucky, at least you can get yours to shut up." Jakul chuckles at Jack's defeat in trying to get him to shut up.

"SHUT UP WILL YOU?!"

"Nope." Jack hugged Mysterie close.

"Promise me, Mysterie, you won't ever let her take control. I don't want you to become what's going on with me. Please, just don't let her get to you." It's bad enough I'm going insane...

"Now let's watch Inuyasha." He said, looking around for the remote for the TV. Mysterie shook her head sadly at Jack's assumption.

"I wish that were true... No, I can ignore her better, but I can no more silence her whispers than you can Jakul's." Her gaze shifted from what remained of her ice cream to him.

"I won't willingly let her take control again... but... I won't make a promise that can be broken either. If it happens... it won't be because I let it." Jack sighed, knowing full well that she couldn't keep that sort of promise anymore than he could. He hugged her and kissed her affectionately, she returned the kiss. He found the remote and put in the DVD in, as the theme song began to play he began singing "Count on Me." Mysterie listened, enjoying the sound of his voice.

_If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea_

_I'll sail the world to find you_

_If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't see I'll be the light to guide you_

_We find out what we're made of_

_When we are called to help our friends in need_

_You can count on me like 1, 2, 3 I'll be there_

_And I know when I need it I can count on you like 4, 3, 2_

_And you'll be there_

_'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah_

_Ooooooh, oooohhh yeah, yeah_

_If you're tossin' and you're turnin'_

_And you just can't fall asleep_

_I'll sing a song beside you_

_And if you ever forget how much you really mean to me_

_Every day I will remind you_

_Oooh We find out what we're made of_

_When we are called to help our friends in need_

_You can count on me like 1, 2, 3 I'll be there_

_And I know when I need it I can count on you like 4, 3, 2_

_And you'll be there_

_'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah_

_Ooooooh, oooohhh yeah, yeah_

_You'll always have my shoulder when you cry_

_I'll never let go, never say goodbye_

_You know..._

_You can count on me like 1, 2,3_

_I'll be there_

_And I know when I need it I can count on you like 4, 3, 2_

_And you'll be there_

_'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah_

_Ooooooh, oooohhh_

_You can count on me 'cause I can count on you_

Mysterie forgot for a moment, but once the last of the words had died, Shadow spoke in a hushed whisper.

**"You can't save him... Just like you couldn't save her..." **An unpleasant shudder slid down her spine as Shadow merely laughed, both of them knowing there was some truth in those words and Mysterie didn't like it. Her shudder didn't go unnoticed and Jack threaded his fingers through her chestnut locks in an attempt to comfort her even as the silver in her hair shone in the light around them. He shifted to kiss her, trying to ignore the pain lancing through him. What was that? It was like an electrical shock went through Jack and suddenly he could hear both Shadow and Jakul's voice in his head.

"Damn it." Mysterie blinked when the kiss ended, realizing that she can hear Jakul without the other actually trying to speak to her and winces as she realize what has just happened.

"Damnation..." She muttered as Shadow crowed with delight.

**"Oh this is going to be such fun! Oh Jackie... you've no idea just how much fun we'll have!" **Mysterie growled at her.

"Don't you dare." Shadow just laughed.

**"Oh, but don't you think it's time he found out the truth about how delightfully dreadful you truly are? After all... what sort of girl keeps secrets from her lover?"** Mysterie winced and Jack covered his ears, as if it could put a stop to it that way.

"Leave me and her alone!" He growled in frustration even as Jakul was currently talking to Jack about why he should change hair color even as Shadow was trying to talk to him at the same time.

"I'm going to get some fresh air." Jack huffs, getting sick of the two.

**"You can't run lover boy... Just thought you should know you've bagged yourself a killer... and I mean that literally." **Mysterie didn't bother responding to that. Jack froze as he was getting off the couch, he turned to look at Mysterie curiously.

"What's she talking about Mystrie, what does she mean killer?" His eyes were full of hurt, considering the possible things that she was keeping from him while she seemed to know nearly everything about him. He wanted to know why she couldn't trust him.

"M-myterie..." He stammered as Shadow started sharing images that were rather terrifying, filled with the tortured screams of unrecognizable figures.

Mysterie sighed and began speaking quietly.

"I told you, I wasn't pure like you... I'm still not." Her voice soft as she went on, a deep sadness in her eyes.

"I was young... a little reckless and it cost me... I lost a friend once to the 'demons' who would make me who I am now... Sometime when I got free again, I met someone like me in a way. He and I became friends. One day... some spirits decided to screw with him on the dream plane. Making him feel that he had betrayed me even while they... raped him. I saw red... I wasn't thinking... and all I wanted was revenge. ... I had the power to and... I took it." Jack was silent for a long while, not meeting her gaze as he thought over what she'd just said.

"Mysterie, does this have anything to do with how I've been feeling for the time I've been with you? I want you to know I love you, no matter what, even if you are impure I'll always love you." He hugged her close, ignoring the scenes that Shadow was implanting in his mind, wishing it would stop as he hugged her closer; trembling slightly as the voice in his head became louder. He kissed her deeply, sending all his feelings and passion into it. She returned the kiss, unsure if what she'd said had anything to do with what he felt. Silent tears fell from beneath her closed eyes, trying to drown the memory of their screams, of their voices begging for mercy and finding none in the ice cold green eyes that flamed with only the dark desire of revenge. Jack hugged her close, wiping away her tears and sliding his finger through her hair in hope that he could comfort her; for the memory he knew she must be going though. He would have pulled her closer but a pain inside forces him to let go and he collapses to the floor, barely breathing through it. Mysterie shudders, she was on the edge of calming down until Jack let go of her. Shadow's laughter echoed through the air.

**"You are too cute... but you can't escape that easily... This time things are different and it's all thanks to you Jack. After all, Jakul has been such a great help."** Mysterie cried out, reaching for Jack even as she jerked from pain as she felt like she had been slammed against a wall. Her eyes widen with fear at a familiar "click" that sounds in her ears.

"No... not this..." She fell from the couch, a quivering mass of pure fear.

"MYSTERIE!" Jack cried out, trying to push away his own pain. She only whimpered in fear, curling up into a ball. Jack moved toward her.

"Don't listen to her Mysterie." He hugged her close, gasping in pain from his own will battling against Jakul's in a battle he was losing; Jakul chuckles as he realizes he's winning the battle just as Shadow is winning hers.

"STOP IT!" Shadow chuckled at Jack's words.

**"Listen to me? Oh I don't have to say a thing... after all... it's just her memory."** Mysterie cringed as Shadow laughed.

"It... it's not real... it can't be... h-he promised..." She whimpered. Jack hugged her tight, her eyes widened as she heard the creak of the door opening and then closing, and then footsteps. Slow, calculated.

**"Oooooo.. here comes the good part! You got to see this Jakul!"** Shadow said, glee ringing in her tone.

**"Wait for it... Wait for it..." **Mysterie knew that this couldn't be real... this place... it had been empty... she'd seen it empty with her own eyes years ago... and her friend had... he'd sworn to her that he'd killed the last of those four. That the nightmare was over and they were forever safe from them, but then... if they really were then why was she here now? Was it only in her mind or was she back in that place that the Creator of all things had abandoned? A place ruled only by Darkness, where those who went in were lucky to ever come out... There was no way she was here again... but it felt real... the smell of the place making her want to gag and the sound of footsteps of an approaching figure that she knew too well... the feel of chains around her wrists and ankles that didn't give way no matter how much she struggled; no matter what she did... this place was saturated with evil and she could almost see her tormentor now. Her eyes wide as two glowing yellow eyes met her own and she knew fear like no other.

Her eyes wide, Mysterie's mouth fell open and she let out a blood curdling scream. Whatever she saw, it was the worst thing for her. Her body slumped momentarily and her skin seemed to darken slightly. When her eyes shot open again, they were amber and Shadow smirked. She was in control once more.


	19. Facing a True Nightmare

"Mystrie wake up!" Jack cried, shaking her in fear; he didn't want this to happen... Didn't want to face the darkness he'd glimpsed when she'd made the decision to let Shadow out just to find him and pull him from Jakul's influence. She had tried to warn him... had spoken of terrible things and yet he dreaded that the secrets that she had not shared with him, that her past, was a darkness he didn't want to see first hand. Shadow slipped from his grip and stood up, stretching.

**"Gods that took forever... By the way... Thanks Jakul. Hope you enjoyed the show." **She smirked, talking about the images that she'd projected on Jack. They were real, but not the whole truth... just the worst of it and Mysterie had gone and ruined it by explaining it. Jack felt fear trying to take him over, but he pushed it away, growling.

"Get out of her!" He shot an angry look, meeting the amber eyes. She smirked as she reached out a hand and ran her fingers delicately along his face in a mockery of a caress.

**"You really are something else darling..." **There was a hint of a purr in her voice.

**"As for getting out... well, you should know better by now." **Jack shuddered in fear, he knew she was right; just as Jakul was still inside him so Shadow would always be inside Mysterie. Hadn't he had enough experience now with his darker half to know that? He knew it all too well... he just didn't want to believe that there wasn't a way to be rid of them. It was a hope he carried inside of him, despite what Mysterie herself had told him. There had to be some way to be rid of them... somehow...

"M-mysterie..." Fear sank into his gut as Jakul purred in his mind at the contact. Her eyes glinted suddenly.

**"You know... why don't I show you what the two of us know... You didn't give us much of a fair chance the first time... and she is a little shy, but I'm not." **Black sand curled around Jack's wrists, forming a set of cuffs as mischief gleamed in her eyes; and not the kind of mischief that Jack usually got up to when he pulled a prank, this was a completely different kind. Jack struggled harshly against the cuffs, trying to free himself from the sand.

"LET ME GO! MYSTERIE PLEASE! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE PLEASE FIGHT BACK!"

**"Fight back? She's a little too preoccupied my precious... I doubt she can hear you now anyway Frost. At least not beyond her own screams I'd think. I wonder how long it will take..." **A seductive smile tugging at her lips as she moved to head towards the bedroom, tugging at the sand leash that was linked to the cuffs, pulling him with her. Jack pulled back at the leash.

"You won't get away with this!" He knew it sounded cliche, but he couldn't care less at the moment. He even tried biting the leash to get free only to spit it out as the sand was disgusting and soon forgot the idea of biting through it to get free.

"Please Mysterie, if you're in there I know you wouldn't do this... I trust you and love you... Just know that, please don't give in... You've done so much for me, helping free me from Jakul... Just... please... come back."

**"Did it never occur to you there's a reason why she can tame nightmare sand? Control it... you really are naive." **Jack just struggled at the bonds fruitlessly.

"Please let me go." Was all he said, struggling fiercely to get free; not wanting to think about what she was telling him... not wanting to think that there were worse things than what Mysterie had revealed to him, however little it had been. Just her revealing what she'd done... that she'd killed... that was bad enough... He didn't want to think how much worse it could be or how she was trapped in a memory of something that had happened to her so long ago when she'd still been human... She'd eluded to it, but there was no way he could know that at the moment and his lack of knowledge was making Shadow purr inside. She wanted to show the frost spirit the depths of the darkness that Mysterie had been through.

**"Hmmmm... actually... what say you Jakul?" **

"I say let's get the show on the road! Also, he really is an idiot sometimes."

"HEY! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S THE IDIOT!" Jack yelled hotly, if the two had been side by side at that moment Shadow would have seen them in each other's face with likely an anime style electricity going between the two of them while they growled at one another like... well okay, they WERE bitter rivals. Each trying inhabit the same body, but what Jack didn't understand yet was that Jakul, like Shadow, couldn't fully exist on their own. They needed their hosts and were bound to them for as long as their hosts lived.

**"Too bad she can't join us... but I will do my best for you, Jakul... oh... shall I replicate her first shadow experience?"** She grinned a little, tugging Jack into the bedroom.

**"I am sure I can whip up some sand 'toys' for it..." **Oh yes... this would be good... but she wondered if Jakul was ready for that kind of darkness... it was his body after all and had Jack not been so worried about the fact that it was HIS body they were talking about he might have noticed that just as Mysterie had been catering to Jack's whims in terms of their level of relationship so was Shadow doing the same with Jakul. After all... Shadow was Mysterie... if only a darker part of her just as Jakul was just a darker part of him, though they were more than just parts of them now... They were almost separate in their personalities and thoughts.

"Ooh, yes please." Jakul chuckled while Jack began shaking like a rabbit about to be eaten by a dozen wolves.

"No.. please don't... please..." Jack struggled to get away with renewed vigor, he'd no idea what Shadow meant, but he knew he didn't want to find out. He didn't want to know what it was that had been done to her... it was her secret to keep... hers to tell when she was ready... He didn't want to find out about it... Not like this.

"It really is a shame she can't be here to at least watch." Jakul comments, as Jack continued to struggle, the song Blank Space began to play in his mind.

_Nice to meet you, where you been?_

_I could show you incredible things_

_Magic, madness, heaven, seen_

_Saw you there and I thought_

_Oh my God, look at that face!_

_You look like my next mistake_

_Love's a game, want to play?_

_New money, suit and tie_

_I can read you like a magazine_

_Ain't it funny, rumors fly_

_And I know you heard about me_

_So hey let's be friends_

_I'm dying to see how this one ends_

_Grab your passport and my hand_

_I can make the bad guys good for a weekend_

_So it's gonna be forever_

_Or it's gonna go down in flames_

_You can tell me when it's over_

_If the high was worth the pain_

_Got a long list of ex-lovers_

_They'll tell you I'm insane_

_'Cause you know I love the players_

_And you love the game_

_'Cause we're young and we're reckless_

_We'll take this way too far_

_It'll leave you breathless_

_Or with a nasty scar_

_Got a long list of ex-lovers_

_They'll tell you I'm insane_

_But I've got a blank space baby_

_And I'll write your name_

_Cherry lips, crystal skies_

_I could show you incredible things_

_Stolen kisses, pretty lies_

_You're the king, baby I'm your queen_

_Find out what you want_

_Be that girl for a month_

_Wait the worst is yet to come, oh no_

_Screaming, crying, perfect storm_

_I can make all the tables turn_

_Rose gardens filled with thorns_

_Keep you second guessing like_

_"Oh my God, who is she?"_

_I get drunk on jealousy_

_But you'll come back each time you leave_

_'Cause darling I'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream_

_So it's gonna be forever_

_Or it's gonna go down in flames_

_You can tell me when it's over_

_If the high was worth the pain_

_Got a long list of ex-lovers_

_They'll tell you I'm insane_

_'Cause you know I love the players_

_And you love the game_

_'Cause we're young and we're reckless_

_We'll take this way too far_

_It'll leave you breathless_

_Or with nasty scar_

_Got a long list ex-lovers_

_They'll tell you I'm insane (insane)_

_But I've got a blank space baby_

_And I'll write your name_

_Boys only want love if it's torture_

_Don't say I didn't - say I didn't warn ya_

_Boys only want love if it's torture_

_Don't say I didn't - say I didn't warn ya_

_So it's gonna be forever_

_Or it's gonna go down in flames_

_You can tell me when it's over_

_If the high was worth the pain_

_Got a long list of ex-lovers_

_They'll tell you I'm insane_

_'Cause you know I love the players_

_And you love the game_

_'Cause we're young and we're reckless_

_We'll take this way too far_

_It'll leave you breathless_

_Or with a nasty scar_

_Got a long list of ex-lovers_

_They'll tell you I'm insane_

_But I've got a blank space baby_

_And I'll write your name_

Shadow pushed Jack onto the bed.

**"Now Jack, we can't have you spacing out yet..." **The sand produced a dildo the size of a cucumber along with Freddy Krueger gloves with long thin claws at the fingers. She moved over to whisper in a seductive voice.

**"When we're done here we can go visit your little Light and finish what Jakul started..."**

"NO!" Jack pushed Shadow as hard as he could, trying to get her away from him.

**"There we go..."** She smirked

"PLEASE! I DON'T WANT THIS! MYSTRIE WAKE UP!" Jack felt tears start to spill from the corners of his eyes at the fear that seized his heart increased. Sand wrapped around his legs and torso, pinning him to the bed.

**"You don't? Oh I think I beg to differ Jack... and hearing you beg will be so sweet indeed..." **She smiled seductively as she crawled up onto the bed, moving towards him and was mere inches away; so set was she on seducing Jack she didn't notice the gold whip until it was too late. It wrapped around her body and slammed her against the wall. She was dazed only a moment before she realized what had happened as Sandy appeared in the room, eyes hard with determination.

**"GOD DAMNIT SANDMAN!"** She yelled and moved to lurch forward towards the golden Guardian only to be hit with a ball of dream sand and promptly dropped as the sand took hold, the black sand keeping Jack confined simply vanished along with the "toys." Sandy floated over to Jack, golden sand swirling over his head, concern in his eyes; for once his sand formed actual words instead of symbols:

Are you alright Jack?

"Y-yeah... I... Is she gonna be okay?" Jack asked, his eyes gleaming in fear and concern. He hissed in pain from the burns he'd gotten from struggling against the sand bonds. Sandy gave him a sad look, more words floating up:

She is strapped in a memory that she had once blocked... She is more of a strategist than even North if you consider that she had planned for this... Somehow... she knew that something like this would happen... Years ago she and I came to an understanding of what was to happen if this occurred... I never would have guessed it would be you, Jack.

Golden sand snaked around Shadow's sleeping body, tying her up and blinding her with a golden bandana even as Sandy's mind went back to that one time...

_'So... you're the one I keep hearing from my dreams. The one they call Dragon.' Sandy's voice was toneless since he didn't speak, even when traversing the plane of dreams, a place he only visited when he slept himself... which was often. After all, there were worse things than Pitch's Nightmares that could attack children and they only existed on this plane._

_"Yes, I am." The girl who stood in a brown robe, hiding whatever else she wore, looked like she was in her early twenties._

_'You called me here. Why?'_

_"Because... I want to prevent something from happening... again." The haunted look in the girl's eyes spoke volumes._

_'How can I help?'_

_"I... have a darker side... inside of me. I can control it... most times... but... I let it get out of control a few days ago and I... I did something I can't undo. Sandman... they say you are THE Guardian of Dreams. I... if ever my darker side emerges into something I can't control. Something that makes its way into the real world... I want you to bind my body and keep it safe."_

_'Why?'_

_"Because those dark things you fight against... if let out... I'd be like them." For a moment there was shock in the Guardian's eyes. This woman would become like...? That made her dangerous indeed... a threat... but at the same time she was an ally. A strange one, considering she was only mortal... a human. Yet she had a reputation here, on this realm, he had heard of her fearlessness in the face of many of the dark creatures that lurked on this plane and how she had even teamed up with another not so unlike her to kill off some of the strongest creatures that the darkness here had to offer. She could be an invaluable ally but if what she said was true... It also meant that she could be a most dangerous foe._

_"Please... promise me this, dreamweaver. I beg of you... A friend of mine was... raped... I... I got my revenge but... at a terrible cost. I don't want this side of me to ever emerge again... but I fear that there may come a day when it will and I won't be able to stop it... There is a memory inside me, a time I was captured by those I and my friend killed. We were both their captives and they did unspeakable things to us, things I have blocked from my mind because they drove me to insanity... If only for a short time. Please... don't let me become that monster. Do whatever it takes if you get the signal."_

_'Signal?'_

_"If... if I ever become that desperate, I will send you a sign that I need your help. That I need you to fulfill this promise."_

_'Very well, dream walker, I will do as you ask. What is this sign that you will send?' She held out one hand and Sandy watched as a tiny silver dragon appeared to hover before her hand. The little creature coming to life and flitting about, for only in this place could dragons live in peace._

_"Promise?" She asked, her eyes filled with hope despite the turmoil he saw in their depths and he nodded._

_"You won't regret this... I promise..."_ Sandy wasn't sure if he should tell Jack about this, about the promise he'd made and how he knew so much about the woman who Jack had come to love without knowing the dark past she had hidden even from herself.


	20. One Hope

"Jack?" Jack looked up from his worried thoughts to see Jamie was staring at him intently. He'd come to Jamie's house to try and forget what had recently happened but though the boy had provided a distraction it was only a temporary one... and not long enough.

"Hey, what's wrong? You look like someone who lost their ice cream?" _I should tell him... No... I can't, he's just a kid. He wouldn't understand love like that yet... but he's my first believer... GAH! Stupid conscience!_ The boy looked up at him with concern reflecting in his eyes, a car that drove by was booming out a song that seemed familiar and yet would make anyone wonder of the sanity of that person.

_I think I see a bit of flesh inside the new guy_

_Maybe he isn't everything that he seems_

_Time to investigate what's underneath the seams_

_Let's try to make it right_

_Don't want to start a fight_

_And we're so sorry if we give you all a little fright_

_We're not so scary if you see us in the daylight_

_You'll be so happy just as long as you survive the night..._

Much as Jack felt guilty about not saying anything, he couldn't do it; knowing that Jamie would just worry more if he knew what had happened recently. It seemed like only yesterday he'd been with Mysterie and she'd been snatched away from his grasp just like that... He didn't know how or what it was that had caused it. He wished he did. Shadow was at the North Pole now, under the watch of a yeti while Sandy was out on his rounds for a little while. Shadow had not spoken two words since she'd been caught, though she had tried a time or two to wrestle free before giving up and had taken to just staring out the window of the room she'd been stuck in.

"Um, well... gotta go kiddo. Lots of work to do." Jack said, flying off before Jamie can think to get a word in edgewise. His believer cared a little too much, it made Jack a little skittish sometimes, but he just couldn't break the news to Jamie. _Phew, that was too close..._ He decided to visit North's workshop to see how Mysterie was. He sighed when he arrived before the room only to find that Phil was standing guard and not budging.

"OH COME ON PHIL! PRETTY PLEASE WITH SUGAR PLUMS ON TOP!" The yeti garbled and covered the door with his body, Jack growled angrily and Phil suddenly shivered in slight fear; Jack hadn't realized he'd let his control slip for that instant and Jakul's stormy blue eyes had appeared in Jack's frustration. Seeing the yeti all but cowering a little, Jack shook his head, trying to regain full control again.

"S-sorry Phil it's just... I really need to see Mysterie." Phil huffed in sympathy and let Jack in, but said in yetish that he had no more than five minutes and then it was off with him. Jack didn't really care, five minutes would have to be enough. Shadow was sitting comfortably next to a window near the balcony doors, other than the golden cuffs around her wrists she was free to move about as long as she behaved; which, so far, she had been doing despite glaring at the other Guardians every time she caught sight of them.

"Thought you were busy with the snow." She said when the door closed behind Jack.

She knew it was him, how could she not with the bond that the two of them had somehow forged from nothing?

"No, I just wanted to see you." Jack said, feeling an inkling of fear forming in his heart.

"So how are you doing Mysterie?" He mentally berated himself as soon as the words left his mouth. _How she's doing... I asked her that... oh moon I wish I couldn't be seen right now..._ Shadow chuckled softly.

"Still trying to reach her huh?" She turned to look at Jack with a sadistic sort of smile on her lips.

"You know... you could always talk to Sandman about that little memory of hers... or, if you're feeling brave.. I bet he'd be more than glad to link us so you could see it first hand. " Jack glared at Shadow, but he was curious at what she meant.

"What do you mean he can link us?" Jack growled as anger at Shadow's presence began to stir and one eye began to turn dark blue; Jack shook his head to stop Jakul from emerging. Get it together... she's just trying to push my buttons. Ignore it. Her lips twitched in a small smile at seeing the evidence of Jakul before she answered.

"It's a memory... but not your normal memory Jack. It's something from her past that happened when she was on the plane of dreams. My power and the Sandman's run along that same line so a memory of that specific sort of thing is easier to pull out of the mind to allow someone else into it than say a memory of a day at school that she might remember. Tooth would know more of the details I imagine, but considering that this memory comes after she'd lost her last baby tooth there's no way Tooth has any knowledge of this particular memory." Jack leaned on his staff in confusion and hope.

"So it'll be like I'm reliving her memory hmmm?" _I have to see it... I have to get her out of this. May be the only way..._ Jack made a decision then and there.

"More like visiting." She replied a little nonchalantly.

"I'll be back. "He left the room, hoping that Sandy was nearby. Sandy was indeed nearby, asleep on a chair in North's meeting room. Jack flew into the meeting room immediately waking the other Guardian.

"Sandy, hey." He tried to act like he didn't just break into the North Pole, not that he had, but he felt he had.

"Um, I have a question for you. Do you know anything about linking memories?" Jack sat comfortably in one of the chairs nearby. Sandy blinked a little before the sand above him slowly formed into words:

Who told you about that?

_Damn he's sharp._ Jack thought.

"No one." He felt really bad for lying, but he felt like he was skating on thin ice here asking this sort of thing of his fellow Guardian. He didn't expect that Sandy would be really thrilled. He hoped that Sandy didn't figure out that Shadow had told him.

"I was just wondering what it would be like to be memory linked is all." He continued on, leaning back in his chair while playing with a snowball he'd summoned, it was a nervous gesture. Sandy frowned a little, thoughtful before the words floated up; he didn't quite believe Jack, but he still answered:

Depends on the memory. Each is different... there are some memories that you would see just as if you were watching a movie... others would seem like your own because you would see everything from the point of view of the person it happened to. There's also visiting the person... If you're asking what I think you are... then you wouldn't just be viewing the memory. You would be almost a participant... in a way.

"Sandy, I need you to memory link me to Shadow." Jack waited for the big reaction he was sure he was going to get, begging him to not to, but Jack had already made up his mind and was ready to argue it. To his surprise though, Sandy only sighed silently; he was right. The Sandman hated being right about things like this. He didn't think the other Guardians would agree, especially not if they knew how dangerous this particular thing could be:

Alright... but I must warn you that this will be dangerous. Even if it's just a memory... this is something from the dream plane and you won't just be seeing it. You'll be actually interacting with her and anything in that memory when you enter it. This memory of hers... Jack... it's pretty bad... and that's an understatement. Pitch's nightmares are going to look like daydreams in comparison... She told me about this experience of hers. Be careful... the... things in it are evil and they would do things even Pitch would hesitated to put into a dream.

Jack nodded in understanding.

"Alright." Jack hears Jakul chuckle evilly in his mind.

"I thought I shut you up Jakul. What the hell?!" He turned to follow Sandy out of the room, pushing down all his fears of what could possibly be really so bad about the memory that he's about to be linked to. Sandy heads into the room, hoping he's not making a mistake... Shadow is reclining in a chair, staring at the door this time when the two of them appear; she seems to have been expecting them. Sandy scowls at her, sand forming over his head in fast symbols that translates out to:

No tricks.

"Wouldn't dream of it Sandman." Sandy doesn't trust her, but he made a circle of dream sand and placed it over her head anyway then did the same for Jack; this was for Jack so ... he'd do it. The little Guardian indicated with a hand that Jack should sit down somewhere before they started. Jack sat down in a chair across from Shadow, his heart beating a little faster than normal. A thin strand of dream sand connected the two "halos" that the two were wearing and Shadow closed her eyes, a sadistic smirk on her face as Sandy connected the two; sending them into the memory.

[To be continued...]


End file.
